Originally appeared on E! Online
Jo Frost is spreading awareness by opening up on a lifelong health battle.
The former “Supernanny” star — who helmed the ABC series from 2005 to 2011 as well as a brief revival in 2020 — recently shared a social media post detailing her experience with anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction to allergens that affects the entire body.
“I have survived more anaphylactic shocks than I’m prepared to go into detail about right now,” Frost shared in a July 12 Instagram post. “I have anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalization.”
So, the 55-year-old wanted to share her experience to spread awareness of the medical condition. (According to the Allergy and Asthma Network, approximately 51 percent of adults and 42 percent of children in the United States have severe enough food allergies to cause anaphylaxis.)
“Absolute millions of my community around the world, children and adults, live cautiously and anxiously navigating this journey with not nearly enough compassion, education and empathy from those who do not,” Frost continued. “Today, everyone will know someone or someone who knows of one with anaphylaxis.”
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As Frost put it, “If you ignore the severity of this medical condition, it’s as bad as shoving a loaded gun in my face.”
Since the former television star made a career out of supporting families of young children, she emphasized the importance of everyone being aware of the dangers of anaphylaxis.
“I’m unapologetic for my medical condition,” she continued. “But it does impact how I live my life daily, like the precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hypervigilance whether you do know what you’re talking about when you’re in a restaurant or just winging it because you can’t be asked to go to the back of the kitchen and truly ask the chef. It means your ‘it may contain’ labels are a consistent truth that you dodge accountability legally and put your greed before my safety.”
Indeed, the expert caretaker shared how dangerous those who write off food aversions, including celiac disease, as fad diets can be to those living with the conditions.
“I’m not looking to be treated special,” she noted. “I’m looking to be treated with the same dignity and attentiveness as you just showed others. I don’t need your mumbling insults, your passive aggressive comments or your ignorance, just your need to be willing to learn, educate your staff, change your policies, menus, workspaces, school training, event spaces for all to champion children who are all ours really in this world. And show empathy and understanding to each other.”
Frost ended her social media message with a call for her followers to educate themselves on the condition, adding, “There are many doing great work about anaphylaxis, get curious and learn more because really, as we mentioned before, we all know someone.”
