{Short Story}

Hi,

My name is Colleen. I am creating a petition to ban workplace potlucks. The reason I want to ban workplace potlucks is because not everyone practices good hygiene. There is always potential for food borne illnesses and furthermore it's just a general food safety concern over all. My mom died due to a E Coli foodborne illness which turned into sepsis in 2021 because of a contaminated salad that was given to her by foreman. If I'm able to get justice for my mom I will be able to prevent this from happening to someone else loved one.

I'll never forget how sad, confused and heart broken I was the morning I walked into my mom's apartment and found her laying in the bed cold and unresponsive. EMT arrived and told me my mom died due to a possible heart attack but I just couldn't believe that because there was no way possible. Then the funeral home she was transported to told me she died due to Covid19. 

I remember my mom telling me days prior that she was not feeling well and she didn't start feeling that way until she ate something that was given to her from a coworker. I remember she complained about stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. I kept that last conversation we had with me and took it to the homicide division for a possible food poisoning. Sure thing after sharing the conversation with homicide the detective went to pick up my mom from the funeral home and took her to the Medical Examiners Office to have a autopsy performed. She was denied a autopsy prior because they tried to rule out my mom's death as a natural cause because she had hypertension. However I couldn't let that happen because something in my heart just didn't feel right. My mom's death was not going to be misdiagnosed. It took us about 3 months to receive the autopsy report. Once we received the results back it stated my mom died due to eating contaminated food that had E Coli which spread and turned into sepsis then it traveled into her blood stream. I'm so happy I didn't listen to the first couple of things I was told about her passing. My mom knew what she had ate made her sick. 

My mom's autopsy say Escherichia Coli & Sepsis. 

By signing this petition you will be helping me bring awareness as to how unsafe workplace potlucks are and why they should be banned. 

#foodborneillness #bringawareness #iwillnotgiveup #iwillnotbesilent #departmentofhealth #share #justicefortheresa #escherichiacoli