“My children have severe allergies, including anaphylaxis to nuts, seafood and dairy,” Sarah explained. “I looked for a short online course that would help me make changes to their diet. We saw a range of health professionals after their diagnosis, but I felt there were so many gaps when it came to how we could support them nutritionally.”

“Endeavour’s short course was life-changing. We have seen a marked improvement in the children’s skin and overall health. While the course was not focused on children’s dietary intake, the instructor found extra resources to help me. I received such great support during and even after the course,” Sarah said.

“It was a steep learning curve. I didn’t even know how to read a food label when I started,” Sarah laughed. But one of the most important things I learnt was that change doesn’t have to be drastic. It can start small and evolve from there. During the course, I delved into why to add a particular food or substitute another one for our children.

“I loved that I could do the course online at my own pace. I thought it would take a year between work and family commitments. But I got paired with some driven students, and they set a faster pace. We finished within seven months. It wasn’t hard to make the time,” Sarah said. “Everything is there. The course is well laid out, and there’s lots of support.”

Sarah says she has experienced positive shifts in her professional life and personal life thanks to the short nutrition course.

“I started to pay more attention to the questions parents asked about nutrition during speech pathology consults. Many were not being asked to complete food diaries or describe their child’s overall food intake. Few had received a referral to a dietitian,” Sarah said. “They had so many questions, and I’m glad I can finally answer them or at the very least provide a link to more information.”

“After the course, I shared some of my knowledge through a presentation at work. It was about what healthy routines and food choices can look like and when it’s time to get a referral,” she said. “It’s propelled me into a new area of work. I can now help families review what they’re eating and refer them if they need extra support. As a nutritional coach, I provide the bridge between families and dietitians.”

Sarah wants to run community classes to teach children how to prepare their own meals. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has put a temporary halt to these plans. Instead, Sarah is working on a children’s book that she can use in her speech pathology practice.

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