Behind-the-Scenes

Productions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Deborah McManman and Behind the Scenes Productions Backgrouder

Deborah Ann McManman was born in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 8, 1951. From birth, McManman suffered from severe allergies from pollen, flowers and milk. When she was 3 years old, her family to moved Eugene: the world’s grass seed and pollen capital of the world. Growing up with allergies affected her childhood significantly. Many times she couldn’t run or even stay outdoors, and she was put on major medications for her allergies.

In 2003, McManman was diagnosed with celiac disease, which is an autoimmune deficiency that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten that is found in wheat, rye, and barley, according to the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA). The president of the CSA told McManman that she was most likely suffering from celiac disease from birth, but because of the lack of knowledge about this condition in the United States, she must have snuck through the cracks.

Because of her life long struggle coping with allergies, McManman is dedicated to increasing the public’s awareness about allergies.

McManman is involved in an array of creative business endeavors including opening up her own non-profit organization called Soul Rising Productions in 2005; directing members of MOPAN (Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network); founding the for-profit company Behind the Scenes Productions and the Gluten Intolerance Group of Eugene.

Behind the Scenes Productions is a new for-profit company that was created in 2008. McManman was able to get assistance on a self-employment plan through the Department of Vocational Rehab, because she has several “barriers to employment” that hinder her productivity in the workplace. One of those barriers is her lifelong struggle with allergies that have kept her out of certain working environments. This is one reason why she has switched jobs so frequently in her life. “I often can’t stay in one place for an extended time. Outside factors can come into play that literally bounce me out the door,” said McManman.

McManman’s ultimate business mission with Behind the Scenes Productions is to use her limitations to help her live a productive and healthy life, and therefore helping other people with limitations do the same. Behind the Scenes Productions just released its “All-Alert Allergy Lanyard” and is currently working on producing a food allergy video series.

The idea of the “All-Alert Allergy Lanyard” came to McManman because she realized that the current market for products like these is boring, plain, and does not sufficiently present necessary information. Her design is different and meets other needs of a product like this: larger size, additional space for information, area for photo, inclusion of personal and contact, and it can be decorated (for kids). Her goal is to make the card fun and helpful, because allergies are a major problem in the world, especially in this country.

The following statistics are from the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. These statistics demonstrate the severity of allergies in the United States.

• Asthma is the leading cause of absenteeism. Every year it causes children to miss 14.6 million days of school and adults to miss 14.5 days of work.

• Asthma kills approximately 5,000 people a year.

• Allergies are the most frequently reported chronic condition in children, limiting activities for more than 40 percent of them.

• Each year, allergies account for more than 17 million outpatient office visits.

• Food allergies account for 30,000 visits to the emergency room.

• The annual cost of allergies is estimated to be nearly $7 billion.

• For adults, allergies (hay fever) are the fifth leading chronic disease.

• More than $700 million is lost each year in lost productivity.

• One out of every 133 Americans is affected with celiac disease; however, only three percent of these have been diagnosed. This means that there are over 2 million undiagnosed people living with celiac disease in the United States.

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