Learn How to “Respect Every Bite” at this Daylong Educational Conference
FAIRFAX, Va. (April 30, 2010) – The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is bringing together parents, physicians, dietitians, caregivers, and others for its 17th Annual Food Allergy Conferences in Tarrytown, N.Y., an event that promises to give attendees new insights and strategies about food allergies and anaphylaxis.
The daylong conference on May 8 will urge everyone to “Respect Every Bite” and feature topics such as the psychosocial impact of living with food allergies, safety at school, food allergy basics, Camp TAG (a summer camp for children with food allergies and their siblings), and a research update from one of the nation’s top allergists. It is the third of FAAN’s four spring conferences, which have long been known to offer a unique opportunity for individuals managing food allergies to gain a top-notch learning experience while connecting with others who share similar challenges.
This year’s conferences, which were held in Baltimore on March 27, in Las Vegas on April 24, and which will also be held in Oak Brook, Ill., on May 22, now offer attendees more choices in the form of multiple breakout sessions from which to choose.
“We have planned a fantastic program this year that is designed to provide everyone from parents to school nurses to babysitters with the knowledge they need to avoid food allergy reactions, which can be potentially fatal,” said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN. “It doesn’t matter if someone has managed food allergies for years or is newly diagnosed – everyone will gain valuable information.”
Top food allergy researcher Dr. Scott H. Sicherer, professor of pediatrics, clinician, and clinical researcher at Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, N.Y., will be one of the featured speakers in Tarrytown.
“The conference is a fantastic opportunity to learn the nitty-gritty of managing food allergies from a variety of perspectives,” Sicherer said. “I enjoy this venue because participants can ask the various experts all of their questions and receive timely and accurate information and advice on all areas of food allergy. I am looking forward to sharing the many exciting research advances; there is more in the pipeline now than ever before.”
The Tarrytown conference will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Marriott Westchester Hotel, 670 White Plains Road.
For more information or to register for one of FAAN’s Food Allergy Conferences, visit www.foodallergy.org or call (800) 929-4040.
National Awareness Campaign Aims to Educate, Raise Awareness
FAIRFAX, Va. (April 28, 2010) – Millions of Americans with food allergies must treat every morsel they eat as if it could potentially cause them to have a reaction, one that could even be fatal – they must “Respect Every Bite.” This message, the theme of the 13th Annual Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW), must also hold true for individuals without food allergies.
Regretfully, studies show that the public’s knowledge and awareness of food allergies is lacking and often inaccurate. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) urges everyone to “Respect Every Bite” during FAAW (May 9-15) and throughout the year in order to keep individuals with food allergies free from reactions and to show compassion for the challenges that food allergies bring with them.
Country music star Trace Adkins has joined FAAN for a new public service announcement intended to provide much-needed education about food allergy and the risks associated with this potentially life-threatening condition. Adkins’ daughter Brianna is one of 3 million children in the U.S. living with food allergies.
“The prevalence of food allergies is on the rise, especially among children, says Adkins. “And until there’s a cure, it’s crucial we learn everything we can about food allergies and do whatever we can to keep our children safe.”
Despite the widely-publicized increase in the number of children with food allergies, Americans still have misconceptions about food allergies. A study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology published last year showed about 65 percent of those surveyed using the Chicago Food Allergy Research Survey for the General Public correctly answered general questions about food allergy. Alarmingly, nearly half of those surveyed mistakenly believed there is a cure for food allergy and more than two-thirds incorrectly said a daily medicine could be taken to avoid food allergy reactions.
“There is no cure for food allergy – yet,” said FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher. “In the meantime, we must do everything we can to raise awareness and educate the public.”
These efforts are crucial. A study published in Pediatrics late last year revealed that more children are seeking medical treatment for food allergy-related reasons. Food allergy is the cause of approximately 300,000 ambulatory care visits per year among children.
ABOUT FAAN
Founded in 1991 by Anne Muñoz-Furlong, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has approximately 25,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 58 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org.
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Announces Winner of First FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest
FAIRFAX, Va. (April 20, 2010) – Elizabeth Ilson of Tarpon Springs, Fla., beat out more than 260 other entries with her Double Chocolate Brownie Bites cookie to become the grand prize winner of the FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest, sponsored by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and Divvies, an allergy-friendly sweets and snacks company.
“This cookie recipe was a happy accident that resulted from many failed attempts to make brownies,” Ilson said. “A few tweaks turned my disastrous brownie batter into my son’s favorite cookie! I am just so thrilled and honored that this cookie recipe won the contest.”
Ilson’s cookie will be introduced to the food allergy community at FAAN’s Walk for Food Allergy events beginning in August, and will be commercially produced and available from Divvies’ online store.
Five finalists made it to the final stage of the competition – being tasted and judged by an esteemed panel of judges with food allergy connections that consisted of celebrated chef and FAAN spokesperson Ming Tsai, Divvies founder/owner Lori Sandler and her son Benjamin, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and his daughter Grace, FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher, and Ron Triani, chairman of FAAN’s Board of Directors.
“It was a pleasure to take part in the judging for the FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest,” Tsai said. “It’s great to see more people taking the time to create delicious treats for people with food allergies. The winner, Double Chocolate Brownie Bites, was really a moist and tasty cookie. I’m sure the cookie will be loved by all whether they have an allergy or not.”
Four other recipes made it to the final round: Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies from Megan Edison of Grand Rapids, Mich., Cinnamon Bites from Mary Levette of Columbia, S.C., Choc-O-Holic Cookie from Kelly Brady of San Jose, Calif., and County Fair Cookies from Elinor Ives of
Fiskdale, Mass.
“The FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest kept me busy in the kitchen for weeks,” Sandler said. “There were so many delicious recipes.”
Rules of the contest required all cookie recipes to be free of peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and eggs, among the top allergens in the U.S., which is consistent with products produced by Divvies. As recent studies have shown, there has been an increase in the number of individuals with food allergies. This statistic identifies a need for more allergy-friendly policies and products for this growing population.
“Being a judge for this contest was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy so many tasty allergy-friendly cookies,” Bradsher said. “It was hard to select just one to win.”
As winner of the FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest, Ilson will receive two nights’ stay and waterpark passes for up to four individuals at a Great Wolf Lodge Resort and up to four round-trip airline tickets to travel to her chosen Great Wolf Lodge location if it is greater than 150 miles from her home.
Contest participants who submitted recipes this year are encouraged to re-enter next year’s contest. The 2011 contest will launch in the 4th quarter of 2010. For information about this year’s FAANtastic Divvies Cookie Contest, visit www.foodallergy.org.
ABOUT FAAN
Founded in 1991 by Anne Muñoz-Furlong, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has approximately 25,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 58 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org.
ABOUT DIVVIES
Headquartered in South Salem, NY, Divvies is committed to raising awareness about and identifying new ways to help parents and children cope with food allergies. Divvies fun-foods are made without peanuts, tree nuts, eggs or milk and despite all those left-out ingredients are delicious and available to share with families and friends across the country. For more information, please visit www.divvies.com.
FAAN Awards 2010 Research Grants – FAAN
FAAN Awards 2010 Research Grants – FAAN.
Funded Studies Focus on Tree Nut Immunotherapy and the Economic Impact of Food Allergy
FAIRFAX, Va. (Feb. 25, 2010) – Two research studies with the potential for strong impact on the food allergy community have been awarded grants through the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network’s (FAAN) Research Grant Program.
This year’s grant winners are:
- Stacie Jones, M.D., Arkansas Children’s Hospital
- David Holdford, M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. Jones and her team will receive funding to develop tree nut-specific immunotherapy for people who have multiple tree nut allergies. Considerable progress has been made using oral immunotherapy approaches for other food allergens, but this will be the first study to focus on the treatment of multiple tree nut allergies.
“The studies supported by FAAN, as typified by Dr. Jones’ study of tree nut allergy treatment, are critical as they provide the transition from basic research to the development of an intervention for patients with food allergy,” said Dr. Andrew Saxon of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the chairman of FAAN’s Research Advisory Board. “This brings us closer to having a treatment protocol that can be put into practice for individuals with food allergies.”
Dr. Holdford will examine the economic impact of food allergy and anaphylaxis in the U.S. No published studies have explored the costs related to this medical condition that affects 12 million Americans. Holdford plans to analyze both the direct and indirect costs of food allergy – ranging from expenses related to ambulance runs to lost work productivity.
“We hope that a better understanding of the financial burdens associated with food allergy will lead to increased government funding of food allergy research,” said Maria Acebal, FAAN Vice President and General Counsel.
Both of the studies have the potential to provide needed evidence in areas that previously have not received much attention. Forty-one researchers applied to FAAN for funding this year. FAAN’s competitive Research Grant Program is one of the organization’s most popular initiatives. The program, which is 100 percent funded by members and other individual donors, has provided over $4.6 million for food allergy research over the past several years.
For more information or to support FAAN’s research efforts, visit www.foodallergy.org.
About FAAN
Founded in 1991 by Anne Muñoz-Furlong, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially life threatening medical condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has approximately 27,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 58 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org, www.faankids.org, and www.faanteen.org.
Check us out in the news….
Halloween Trick-or-Treating Complicated for Kids With Food Allergies – ABC News.
Help Pass the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act
Our recent trip to Washington D.C. for the FAAN Kid’s Congress to speak with lawmakers about the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act was a success. We learned and experienced so much and walked away with a huge sense of accomplishment. It was great for Owen to be around so many other children with food allergies. He has always heard about the millions that have food allergies but for a child like him, who is the only one in his class with food allergies, the statistics are little comfort. He is very proud to do something that will help himself and others in the future. He hasn’t stopped talking about it since we have been home.
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA)calls for voluntary national guidelines to help schools manage students affected by food allergy and anaphylaxis. It requires the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and make available to schools a voluntary policy to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools, and provides for school-based food allergy management incentive grants to support implementation of food allergy management guidelines in public schools.
Want to do something that will help this bill get passed? You can start by writing to your Senator or Representative. To make things a little easier we have typed up a quick e-mail that you can cut and paste. We also included a link to find your Senators and Representatives e-mail addresses. Please feel free to modify and add pertinent information, especially personal experience. Passing this bill will help keep millions of school children safer in their schools and day care facilities.
You can read the bill (senate and house) here:
S.456 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.456:
HR.1378 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1378
You can also go to www.foodallergy.org(FAAN) for more information.
Contact information for US Senators: www.senate.gov
Dear Senator (insert name here):
I live in (insert location) and am writing to you to ask that you consider cosponsoring S.456, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act 2009 (FAAMA). This bill requires the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and make available to schools a voluntary policy to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools, and provides for school-based food allergy management incentive grants to support implementation of food allergy management guidelines in public schools.
FAAMA FAAMA “>was passed by theHouse in 2008, and was supported by more than 40 Senators in 2008. Unfortunately, FAAMA was not taken up by the Senate before it adjourned. FAAMA has already earned bipartisan support in 2009.
(insert any additional info you would like)
Sincerely,
Contact information for US Representatives: http://www.house.gov
Dear Representative (insert name here):
I live in (insert location) and am writing to you to ask that you consider cosponsoring HR.1378, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act 2009(FAAMA). This bill requires the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and make available to schools a voluntary policy to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools, and provides for school-based food allergy management incentive grants to support implementation of food allergy management guidelines in public schools.
FAAMA FAAMA “>was passed by theHouse in 2008, and was supported by more than 40 Senators in 2008. Unfortunately, FAAMA was not taken up by the Senate before it adjourned. FAAMA has already earned bipartisan support in 2009.
(insert any additional info you would like)
Sincerely,
FAAN Kid’s Congress
Owen, Age 7
We are pleased to announce that our son Owen has been selected by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network to become a Junior Ambassador for the Third Annual Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill, to be held Sept. 30-Oct. 1. He will be one of 80 children around the country to head to Washington, D.C. to deliver a message to U.S. Congress that is close to their hearts: Pass food allergy legislation for schools and fund food allergy research.
This year, the Junior Ambassadors will be urging legislators to pass the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA), which calls for voluntary national guidelines to help schools manage students affected by food allergy and anaphylaxis. The children who were selected by FAAN range in age from 6 to 18 and come from all over the U.S.
“These children impressed us with their commitment to spreading awareness and educating others about food allergies,” said FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher. “It is so heartening to see that even at such a young age, they are effective ambassadors. We are so pleased to give them this opportunity to come to Washington, and we appreciate their efforts to help pass food allergy legislation for schools.”
For further information on this important bill please check out http://www.foodallergy.org/Advocacy/FAAMA.html
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (FABulletin) and check back here for further information.
Take the FAAN Camp Survey
We all know that sending a child with food allergies to camp can be stressful. Help yourself by participating in a study by FAAN and University of Michigan about food allergic campers. It only takes a few minutes!
Check it out at http://www.foodallergy.org/whatsnew.html
Delectable GF Natural Foods
A few months back I was lucky enough to sit down with Joan Panepinto and Robert Hapanowicz, two of the founders of GF Natural Foods, to discuss their new line of breaded boneless chicken. Joan is a registered dietician who became increasingly frustrated by the lack of healthy food available for her family (read her story at www.gfnaturals.com/company or ). After teaming up with Robert and Scott Horn, GF Naturals was born.
Their website (www.gfnaturals.com) states, “GF Natural Foods was founded on the premise that food options can be great tasting, all-natural, healthy, free of common food allergens and socially responsible.” And with that in mind they created a line of breaded boneless chicken (tenderloins, wings, filets and nuggets) that is quite honestly some of the best chicken I have ever had the pleasure of consuming.
GF Nautral Foods is:
- Certified Gluten Free through GFCO http://www.gfco.org
- Wheat Free
- Casein Free
- Lactose Free
- Peanut Free
- Egg Free
- Certified by the Whole Grain Council with 11g of whole grains per 100g serving (Nearly 25% of the daily recommendation for whole grains)
“We use the finest cuts of boneless skinless chicken, add natural sea salt, a pinch of spice to enhance the flavor and coat them with the finest whole grains. The result is a wholesome crispy texture with a natural clean finish.”
This chicken has GREAT flavor is healthy and free of many major allergens. My 6 year old son declared it, “The best chicken ever.” Who can beat that?
So where can you find it? Look for GF Naturals in major stores soon. We will post stores that will carry GF Naturals as the information becomes available.
Also, for those of you who are going to be at Hershey Park, GF Naturals is available upon request. For further information please call 717-534-3900 or visit http://www.hersheypark.com/.
If you have questions for Joan Panepinto you can go to http://www.gfnaturals.com/certification.html and click on the Ask Joan link to send and e-mail.
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