Kerry Washington has found a smart and simple way to inform others of her life-threatening food allergies as she jet-sets around the globe. The longtime actress told InStyle that she sometimes takes notecards translated into the language of her destination with all her food allergies. An example of a card that she shared was written in Cantonese for a trip to Hong Kong. In addition to noting her food allergies, the small card even included little photo emojis of the foods that will send her to the emergency room. Though simple, the star’s travel hack could be a life-saving measure for other travelers who suffer from dangerous allergies.
“I have a ton of food allergies,” Washington explained. “And they’re like real allergies – not like, ‘Oh I might have a tummy ache,’ but like, oh, if I eat this, I will have to go to the emergency room.”
The Thicker than Water author also shared that the card emphasizes the severity and seriousness of her food allergies for whoever may be reading it. She mentioned, “At the bottom [of the card] it says, if I eat these things, I will die.”
Before the clip ended, Washington reiterated that the small but critical card kept her alive during the Hong Kong trip. Also, she shared that some people even requested to keep her food allergy card, but minted with her autograph.
“A couple of times I got recognized and so they asked me to sign it for them,” Washington said with a laugh.
What Else Is There To Know About Kerry Washington And Her Travels?
The actress’ latest role is starring in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. She’s in the hit Netflix series’ third installment, whose cast includes Daniel Craig, Mila Kunis, Glenn Close, and more.
Washington is married to former NFL player and fellow actor Nnamdi Asomugha. The couple shares two children – a daughter, Isabelle, 11, and a son, Caleb, 8. Washington is also a stepmom to Asomugha’s teenage daughter from a previous relationship. In her InStyle feature, the actress shared that though she’s not retiring, she’s at a place where she’s “ambitious about living a full life.”
“I remember reading somewhere about interviewing people in hospice,” reflected Washington. “Most people don’t say, ‘I wish I had worked more.’ Most people say, ‘I wish I had spent more time with my husband’ or ‘I wish I had spent more time with my kids’ or ‘I wish I had traveled more‘ or ‘I wish I had done the creative thing that I was scared to do.'”
