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FAAN's Walk for Food Allergy Raises $1.9 Million for Food Allergy Research and Education
FAIRFAX, Va. (Feb. 17, 2010) – In the sixth season of its nationwide effort to raise awareness and funds for much-needed food allergy research, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network’s (FAAN) Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward A Cure events drew its largest crowds yet and raised $1.9 million.
Kicking off in August, the 35 Walks attracted almost 19,000 participants and were held in cities across the country, from Portland, Ore., to Key Biscayne, Fla., ending in December with a virtual Walk.
These family-friendly events involved not just walkers, but hundreds of volunteers, committee members, and valued sponsors.
“We are so encouraged by the number of people who volunteered their time and raised money as a part of the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy,” said FAAN CEO Julia Bradsher. “Because of them, we are able to support researchers and continue to serve the food allergy community with new and existing educational programs.”
Roberta Fishman, whose 14-year-old son is severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, served as a co-chair of the Walk in Boston for the third consecutive year in 2009, and she plans to volunteer once again this year. Approximately 1,200 people participated in the 2009 Walk in Boston, despite a forecast of rain.
“This is the only event of its kind and it really is very emotional for us,” Fishman said. “It’s the one day that kids with life-threatening food allergies can go out and live a normal life. It is a tremendous day for these kids and we try to do as much as we can to celebrate them.”
In 2010, FAAN is planning at least 50 Walks. For more information, visit www.foodallergywalk.org.
About FAAN
Founded in 1991, 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, www.faankids.org, and www.faanteen.org.
Media Contact
Jennifer Roeder
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Direct: (703) 563-3061
Cell: (301) 639-4811
E-mail: jroeder@foodallergy.org
Twitter: @JenRoeder
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