News From FAAN

Deadline This Week

Time is running out to submit a nomination for the Mariel C. Furlong Awards for Making a Difference and theGrandparent Awards! All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 15. For the past 13 years, FAAN has honored individuals, schools, and corporations that have gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise awareness or educate others about food allergies and anaphylaxis. Categories include community service (support group and awareness), food industry, health professional, and school (including separate awards for principal, nurse, teacher, and dining services).

And for those grandparents who have done an outstanding job of supporting and advocating for their grandchild, we will once again accept nominations for the second annual Grandparent Awards. To learn more or to make a nomination, visit our website.

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Food Allergy Conferences

Registration is now open for FAAN’s 17^th Annual Food Allergy Conferences, which will be held in Baltimore(March 27), Las Vegas (April 24), Tarrytown, N.Y. (May 8), and Oak Brook, Ill. (May 22). These daylong conferences will feature topics such as the psychological impact of living with food allergies, current food allergy research, managing food allergies while dining at restaurants, keeping children with food allergies safe at school, and Camp TAG, a summer camp for children who have food allergies and their siblings.

The conferences will also feature educational break-out sessions for teens, parents of teens, registered dietitians, school nurses, and caregivers such as grandparents, nannies and babysitters. To register for the conference, visit our website or call us at (800) 929-4040.

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Finding Support is Quick and Simple

Among the many user-friendly features of our newly redesigned website is the easy support group look-up tool, where visitors to the website can connect with a support group near them by searching by state or city. You’ll definitely want to pass along this link to friends and family members managing food allergies, who can benefit from connecting with others who share similar experiences.

From FAAN: Food Allergy Study Update

Hello Support Groups:

FAAN would like to share an important study with you located in Chicago, Illinois at Children’s Memorial Hospital Department of Allergy.  Please read below.  Thank you.

Children’s Memorial Hospital Food Allergy Study Update

The Children’s Memorial Food Allergy Study is gaining momentum and gearing up for a big push in 2010 to reach its goal of having 1,000 families participate in the study.

Here’s what’s new:

• The Study recently received a groundbreaking new grant from the National Institute of Health to do genetic analysis that will be the first of its kind in the country. 
• As of November 2009, nearly 600 families have enrolled so they are still looking for another 400 families to participate in the next year. 
• Study visits are now being conducted at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview.
• Evening appointments now available at the main hospital (as late as 5:00 pm).
• Saturday appointments offered once a month.
• The study is able to coordinate the blood draw with your pediatrician or allergist so there is only one poke.
• Funding from National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Chicago Community Trust, The Food AllergyInitiative and other generous donors.

The study team is seeking families from and all over the U.S. to join, not just the Chicago metropolitan area. An eligible family has at least one food allergic child under the age of 21, and both biological parents willing to participate. Participation consists of a one-time visit at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, with optional follow-up visits every one to two years. Visits last only about two hours, medical care or insurance are not affected in any way, and participation is completely voluntary.  Participants receive Target gift cards, validated parking, and goody bags for the kids as well as this beautiful allergy keychain:

  

 What is the situation?

• Peanut allergy occurrence has doubled in the past 5 years.
• Food allergy now affects an estimated 6-8% of children in the United States.
• With the incidence of food allergies increasing so rapidly, the triggers and underlying causes of this condition need to be identified.
• Diagnostic tools are unreliable.
• Avoidance of food allergens is currently our only solution.
• We don’t understand the who, why, or when of food allergy.

 Why are 1,000 trio families needed for the study?

• To do a unique genotyping analysis, the first of its kind in the country
• To have sufficient statistical power to do a genetic analysis and be able to study more than a milliongenetic markers and environmental exposures that potentially affect food allergy.
• To build a solid foundation on which to determine the causes, find better diagnostic and treatment methods for, and eventually maybe even find a cure for food allergy.
• To research the role of genetics, the environment AND the immune system on food allergy

What can you do?

1. Enroll your family in the study.
2. Tell someone about the study. Do you know a friend, relative, neighbor or acquaintance with food allergic kids (anywhere in the country)? Share your experience!
3. Pass out the study’s brochures at your local health food store, allergist’s office, school, day care, support group meeting or pediatrician’s office.
4. Put a blurb about the study on your blog or favorite food allergy website; ask your favorite group or organization to include info about the study in their next newsletter.

So the next time you see a friend, family member, or doctor who shares your concerns about raising kids with food allergies, ask them to call 1.888.573.1833 or email allergystudy@childrensmemorial.org for more information. The study needs to reach its goal by the end of 2010!  Doing something that simple can have a big impact on our understanding of the causes of food allergies in children.  Let’s get the word out!

Kind Regards,

Eleanor Garrow-Majka

Vice President of Education & Outreach

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

At last night's meeting we shared some favorite holiday recipes. Mine is below. It is a traditional recipe with no modifications. (It comes out great with Ener-G egg replacer.) Have a favorite recipe, send it to me and I'll post it on the blog.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

2/3 cup cooking oil

1 c sugar

1 c molasses

1 egg (or egg replacer equivalent)

3 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1/2cup boiling water

5 ½ c flour

3 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Beat together oil & sugar. Add molasses & mix well. Add boiling water/soda. Add egg. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Chill several hours or overnight. Roll out to ¼ inch thick on floured & sugared board. Cut cookies & bake on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes in 400 oven. Watch carefully.

This recipe is at least 150 years old. These are fat, puffy gingerbread cookies that make excellent gingerbread boys & girls. Makes oodles of cookies!

"Caution: Relatives Ahead"

It can be stressful dealing with relatives who don't understand your child's food allergies. Check out this article by M. Carolyn Black from Allergic Living Magazine.
Food Allergy: Caution, Relatives Ahead

Allergy Friendly Cookies

Allergic Living Magazine has ideas for allergy-friendly cookies for the holidays.

Holiday Tips - FAAN

Holiday Tips - FAAN

New Gluten-Free Market in Hillsborough, NH

Hillsborough , NH 11/24/09…White Birch Markets, LLC located in Antrim , NH announces the opening of a Gluten-Free Market in Hillsborough , NH . Located at 35 West Main Street , White Birch Gluten-Free Market will feature gluten-free dry goods as well as refrigerated and frozen convenience foods for people whose diets cannot include gluten.

White Birch Gluten-Free Market will be the only market of its kind in the region, offering an extensive selection of finer quality, exclusively gluten-free items. Owner Paula Bishop said “We’re not opening a health food store. Recent statistics show that 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease, and if you have a first-degree relative with it, it’s more like 1 in 22, so our market is geared toward people with a gluten intolerance of varying degrees; Celiac disease, children following a gluten-free diet to help with behaviors associated with Autism, as well as folks who simply want or need to cut back on their gluten intake.”

“White Birch Gluten-Free Market will be a one-stop shopping destination for all their gluten-free needs. No more running around, dozens of new and exciting manufacturers, and delicious imported foods. Up until now, I can assure you, my customers have been living a frustrating existence trying to find a normal variety of foods to choose from. All that’s about to change.”  

Opening is expected by mid-December, 2009.

Contact Information:

White Birch Gluten-Free Market

35 West Main Street

Hillsborough , NH 03244

(603) 464-2700

whitebirchmarket@tds.net

www.whitebirchmarket.com