Food Safety Fate – FoodSafetyTech

How often do you talk to strangers? For many, not too often. It has become very easy to avoid talking to people. For example, most people in a crowded hotel elevator either look at their phones, listen to their noise cancelling headphones or silently watch the progress of the elevator’s decent waiting for the doors to open. Yet, chance encounters with strangers can make life interesting and sometimes be impactful.

Two weeks ago, on the morning of the last day of our Food Safety Hazards Conference in St. Louis, while descending down in a crowded but silent hotel elevator. A women noticed my wife’s Food Safety Hazards Conference badge and asked Beth about the conference. The women remarked she used to volunteer for STOP Foodborne Illness. I asked, “I know STOP. Why were you volunteering?” As the elevator came to the lobby floor and the doors opened, we took the conversation into the lobby where she told us that her daughter had died of e-coli and shared some of the details of their tragedy. I gave her my business card and asked if we could reconnect in the near future.

Shortly before I was about to deliver the opening remarks at the conference, I received an email that read “My name is Dana and we met at the Hilton in Downtown St Louis and this is my daughter Kayla that passed away from Ecoli in 2007. It was nice to visit with you and here is her story.”

 Kayla’s story was outlined in a letter Dana read at a U.S. Congressional hearing asking them to make the Food Safety Modernization Act law. Here it is:

Every day, I ask myself, “Why did this have to happen?”  We put so much faith in the food on our shelves, only to find out one day that the safeguards needed to protect us are not there.  Because our food safety system has been reactionary instead of preventive for too long, I watched my healthy teenage daughter endure excruciating pain.  I was helpless.  There was nothing I could do.

Before the fall of 2007, Kayla loved to play basketball and softball.  She was incredibly social and enjoyed hanging out with a great group of friends.  She was full of life.  I don’t think there was a person who knew her who didn’t love her right away.  I distinctly remember Kayla’s 14^th birthday — October 22, 2007.  She was thrilled because she could, at long last, get her learner’s driving permit.  Kayla, giddy with excitement, peppered my cell phone with calls until I agreed to drive her to the local department of transportation to take her test.  Watching Kayla become an independent young woman was thrilling. 

After a successful visit to the D.O.T it was time to get new contact lenses.  While at the optometrist she began complaining of serious stomach pains. Thinking this was nothing more than the stomach flu we decided to go home.  The next day, Kayla had not improved.  That evening Kayla woke up with bloody diarrhea.  The next day, she was admitted to Pella Community Hospital.  Kayla’s condition only got worse.

A week later, after countless tests, the physicians of Pella Community Hospital confirmed Kayla had contracted an E. Coli 0111 infection. Shortly after, Kayla’s kidneys shut down.  Requiring dialysis, she was transferred to Blank Children’s hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.

A few more days had passed when she woke up with a smile on her face.  She looked over and said “Mommy I am sorry.” 

Perplexed as to why a child who had spent days in agony would feel the need to apologize for anything, I asked why.

“Because I kept you up all night,” Kayla responded.

 “Sweetheart, that is what mommies do — and I love you” I said. At that very moment I remember hoping this was the beginning of the positive breakthrough for which we were desperately hoping.

“I love you too” were the last words my child ever spoke.

On Friday November 2nd, Kayla’s blood pressure spiked to dangerous levels. Doctors ran into her room trying everything they could muster to bring Kayla back to us. At 10:00 that morning, after seizures and many rounds of dialysis, Kayla’s 14 year old body couldn’t take it anymore.  She was gone.

I came to this hearing in an effort to tell you all how important it is that we put in place effective policies that spare other parents the horror I have experienced. Enactment of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is one such step but, for it to work, we need all of the regulations finalized as soon as possible.

Kayla dreamed of one day becoming a pediatrician. If this new law is implemented and enforced, I believe Kayla will get her wish.  She truly will be saving children’s lives.

Instead of doing my usual opening remarks to start the conference, I read the letter to the attendees and there was not a dry eye in the audience. Kayla’s sad but powerful story certainly hit home and if nothing else added motivation to an already passionate group of food safety professionals. For the rest of the conference, we kept coming back to Kayla’s story reminding us of why we do what we do.

Was this random hotel elevator connection fate or Devine intervention? I don’t know. What I do know is because Dana was willing to talk to a stranger, she was able to share her daughter’s story to an audience of food safety professionals and now to you. Hopefully, as the food safety and quality community, we all can help support Kayla’s dream by saving children’s lives.