Actress Julie Bowen and Mylan Specialty Announce the Four Winning School Districts of the 'Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness' Competition
Thousands of Hands Raised Demonstrate Nationwide Call for Increased Awareness of Life-Threatening Allergies
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Emmy®-award winning actress Julie Bowen joined Mylan Specialty to announce the four winning school districts of the Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™ competition. As part of the larger Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ initiative, the competition called for local communities to educate others in the school environment to recognize a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) and to be prepared to respond if it occurs. The winning school districts joined more than 830 others across all 50 states in rallying their communities to virtually "raise their hands" to be counted as those committed to anaphylaxis awareness.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please visit: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/60736-get-schooled-in-anaphylaxis
The following school districts, chosen because they had the highest number of hands raised at www.Anaphylaxis101.com, will each be awarded a $15,000 educational grant:
- Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District (Cheektowaga, N.Y.), 38,385 hands raised
- Oxford Township School District (Oxford, N.J.), 28,571 hands raised
- Utica Community Schools (Sterling Heights, Mich.), 24,643 hands raised
- Ossining Union Free School District (Ossining, N.Y.), 12,521 hands raised
The Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness competition generated nearly 150,000 raised hands during the four-month program, showing a groundswell of support for anaphylaxis awareness and preparedness in school districts nationwide.
"Seeing all the hands raised made me realize how many people there are across the country, like me, who want to make sure everyone in the school community continues to talk about this issue," said Bowen, whose oldest son has life-threatening allergies to peanuts, walnuts and bee stings. "We all have our own reasons for raising awareness whether it's for you, your child or someone else you are responsible for with a life-threatening allergy."
People from coast-to-coast used social media to let others know why raising anaphylaxis awareness is important to them. Some were showing support for loved ones, while others wished to encourage their colleagues or the school community to be prepared if anaphylaxis occurs. Each personal story and the widespread support for this competition demonstrates the impact this issue has on thousands of people's lives.
The winning school districts are encouraged to use the grants to fund programs about life-threatening allergies. Some examples of how the funding could be used include: (1) supporting trainings for school staff, (2) bringing in a speaker to educate students about life-threatening allergies, (3) purchasing anaphylaxis-related books for classrooms and school libraries, (4) implementing hand-washing stations throughout the school and teaching students why they are important to help avoid exposure to allergic triggers, or (5) implementing an anaphylaxis spirit week to raise awareness.
"With an estimated one in 13 U.S. children diagnosed with a food allergy, educating the public about anaphylaxis awareness and preparedness is an important focus at Mylan Specialty and we are inspired by the number of individuals who took action and raised their hands," said Roger D. Graham, Jr., president, Mylan Specialty. "Mylan Specialty is proud to be able to support these school districts and hopes that the educational grants will help make a difference in the lives of all those in the school community who are working so hard to spread the message of awareness and preparedness. Our hope is that the conversation continues and that the seriousness of anaphylaxis is top of mind for all schools."
The conversation and education doesn't stop here. People from all school districts are encouraged to visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com to access tools to support ongoing education and communication about life-threatening allergies. They can download materials like posters, lesson plans, presentations, health history forms, information on legislation and checklists, and customize them for personal use. There is also a section of the website devoted to dining with life-threatening allergies, which includes tip sheets, travel-sized cards with advice on how to read food labels, food substitution suggestions, allergy-friendly recipes, grocery shopping tips, and a fun, educational game called Supermarket Search.
About Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™
The Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis initiative was created to help everyone in the school setting be prepared to respond when a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) occurs. Because anaphylaxis can happen anywhere and at any time, everyone responsible for a child – including parents, school staff, family and friends – should be aware of the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, help those at risk to avoid allergens at all times and be prepared to use an epinephrine auto-injector and seek immediate medical care if anaphylaxis occurs. Visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com to learn more about life-threatening allergies and if you or someone you care for is at risk for anaphylaxis. You can download practical materials like posters, lesson plans and tip sheets and access information from leading patient, professional and advocacy organizations that are all united in the common goal of improving anaphylaxis education. You can also learn about Julie Bowen's family story and sign up to receive news about activities and events. Follow the Twitter handle @Anaphylaxis101 to get the latest news about the initiative.
About Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur when the body is exposed to an allergen and can occur anywhere and at any time. Anaphylaxis causes an estimated 1,500 deaths each year. The prevalence of food allergies among children is on the rise, now affecting approximately one in 13 U.S. children. Children and adolescents are among those most at risk for anaphylaxis due to increased exposure to potential allergic triggers. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary from person to person and each time it occurs. Symptoms may include trouble breathing, chest pain, skin hives or redness of the skin, tightness in the throat, swelling of the lips and/or tongue, nausea, dizziness, a decrease in blood pressure and/or fainting. Allergic reactions are unpredictable – a mild reaction to an allergen one time can be more severe and even life-threatening the next.
Food allergy guidelines developed by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recommend epinephrine as the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis management and that it be available at all times to those at risk for anaphylaxis. If experiencing anaphylaxis, a person should use an epinephrine auto-injector and seek immediate emergency medical attention. Failure to administer epinephrine early in the course of treatment has been repeatedly implicated in anaphylaxis fatalities.
About Mylan Specialty
Mylan Specialty, a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq: MYL), is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drug products for the treatment of respiratory diseases, life-threatening allergic reactions and psychiatric disorders. For more information, please visit www.mylanspecialty.com.
About Mylan
Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in health care. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service excellence a habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of more than 1,200 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications. In addition, we offer a wide range of antiretroviral therapies, upon which approximately 40% of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend. We also operate one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and currently market products in approximately 140 countries and territories. Our workforce of more than 20,000 people is dedicated to improving the customer experience and increasing pharmaceutical access to consumers around the world. But don't take our word for it. See for yourself. See inside. mylan.com
Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ and Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™ are sponsored by and trademarks of Mylan Specialty L.P. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
© 2013 Mylan Specialty L.P. All rights reserved. PAC-2013-0111
Mylan Inc. Contacts:
Nina Devlin, 724-514-1968
Julie Knell, 908-542-2600
SOURCE Mylan, Inc.
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