Watching their child die, especially from a preventable condition, is a parent’s worst nightmare. When Angel and George Mueller’s 18-year-old son, Dillon, died from a previously unknown allergy to bees, they knew they had to do something to spare other families the same experience. That’s why they launched the Dillon Mueller Memorial Fund, which provides free training on the use of epinephrine autoinjectors and scholarships for high school seniors looking to further their education. They also advocate for loosening the prescription requirements to access an autoinjector.
Life-threatening allergic reactions, also known as anaphylaxis, can become life threatening quickly, but an epinephrine autoinjector—sometimes known by the brand name EpiPen—is a common tool used to treat such reactions. However, autoinjectors are only available by prescription, which means you must know you have an allergy in order to get one. But what if you don’t know you have an allergy, as was the case with Dillon? With anaphylaxis, time can be the difference between life and death. By the time help was summoned to Dillon’s rural location in Wisconsin, the damage had been done. If someone nearby had had an autoinjector in their medicine cabinet and been trained to use it, the outcome for Dillon might have been different.
The Muellers have made it their mission to make epinephrine autoinjectors easier to obtain. In their home state of Wisconsin, the team at the Dillon Mueller Memorial Fund have worked with legislators to change the requirements so people who are trained to use the autoinjectors can get them without a prescription. They do that with the help of Len Markman, DO, and the Wisconsin Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons (WAOPS).
When Dr. Markman, who is on the legislative/advocacy committee of WAOPS, heard Dillon’s story, he was moved to help, having seen the devastation of untreated allergic reactions in his practice. Together, Dr. Markman, WAOPS, the paramedic who treated Dillon at the scene, and the Muellers developed a program to train people across the state to use the autoinjectors and worked to get “Dillon’s Law” passed in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Indiana, allowing trained individuals to carry and administer the autoinjectors. The Muellers estimate that the team has trained close to 5,000 people across the country to administer epinephrine using autoinjectors.
In the spring of 2023, Dr. Markman went to Washington, D.C., for DO Day to give a presentation about the work he and the Muellers had been doing. In the audience was VCOM-Louisiana student Murtuza Khambhati ’26. Khambhati was inspired by what he heard and wanted to make a difference, so he asked them to come to campus to train his fellow students.
As future physicians, it is important for us to understand how the epinephrine autoinjectors work. Bringing the training to VCOM-Louisiana enhances safety, educates the community, promotes inclusivity and demonstrates a commitment to the well-being of students and visitors. The goal was likely to equip individuals with life-saving skills, create a safer and more aware community, and ensure the campus is prepared to respond effectively to medical emergencies.
Khambhati was not alone in his interest in understanding more about autoinjectors. In fact, the opportunity to be trained was incredibly popular on campus, with nearly 300 members of the VCOM-Louisiana campus participating, both in person and on Zoom. Students who participated in the training received medical student performance evaluation (MSPE) credit, which is included in the materials they submit when they’re seeking residencies.
“Friendly,” “passionate” and “helpful” are all words the Muellers use to describe their son, Dillon. They’re also some of the words we use to describe our VCOM students. Khambhati and the members of the VCOM family who attended the autoinjector training exemplify the passion and dedication our future osteopathic physicians have for helping their communities.
Dillon was an Eagle Scout who had plans to be a seventh-generation dairy farmer on his family farm in Wisconsin. His life was tragically cut short, but through the dedication of his parents, and the commitment of every person who gets trained to use the epinephrine autoinjectors—like our VCOM-Louisiana students—he will impact thousands of people across the United States.
