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Respect Every Bite: Registration Open for FAAN's 17th Annual Food Allergy Conferences

More than an opportunity to learn about current research studies and successful food allergy management strategies, this conference also provides attendees with the chance to meet others who understand the potentially life-or-death significance of respecting every bite.

"This is a unique educational opportunity that brings together not only parents and teens and adults managing food allergies, but grandparents, caregivers, and health professionals," said FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher. "We hope to spread the 'Respect Every Bite' message through these conferences and other awareness programs throughout the year."

The need for such programs remains great - one in every 17 children under 3 years old has a food allergy, which is the leading cause of anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death, outside of the hospital setting in the U.S.

"Hearing directly from [physicians] regarding the efforts being put into research and the specific trials being conducted gave us hope for a cure," wrote New Jersey parents Kiristie and Anthony Fernandez, after last year's conference. "Spending the day with other parents who are going through the same ordeal made us realize that we are not alone."

Attendees will hear from leading experts in the field discuss topics such as research, food allergy basics, staying safe at school, Camp TAG, and the emotional and psychosocial impact of living with food allergies. Separate sessions will be held for teens, parents of teens, grandparents, nannies, babysitters, nurses, and registered dietitians.

In addition to a variety of new educational sessions, this is also the first year attendees will have the opportunity to explore an Allergy Expo featuring allergy-friendly companies. This is a unique opportunity for such companies and allergic consumers to interact.

The conferences will be held in Baltimore on March 27, Las Vegas on April 24, Tarrytown, N.Y. on May 8, and in Oak Brook, Ill., on May 22. This will be the first year that FAAN's conference is held in Las Vegas.

Key speakers include:

• In Baltimore - Robert A. Wood, M.D., professor of pediatrics and international health and the director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as well as the author of Food Allergies for Dummies
• In Las Vegas - Andrew Saxon, M.D., professor and chief emeritus of clinical immunology/allergy, Department of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine
• In Tarrytown - Scott H. Sicherer, M.D., professor of pediatrics, clinician, and clinical researcher at Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, N.Y.
• In Oak Brook - Todd A. Mahr, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and clinician with the pediatric allergy and immunology unit of the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis.

For more information, visit www.foodallergy.org.

ABOUT FAAN

Founded in 1991 by Anne Munoz-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.

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Jennifer Love
Marketing and Media Communications Manager
(703) 563-3061 direct, (301) 639-4811 cell
jlove@foodallergy.org