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FAAN Announces Winners of Mariel C. Furlong Award for Making a Difference and Grandparent Award

FAIRFAX, Va. (April 7, 2009) – The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) announced the winners of the 13th annual Mariel C. Furlong Award for Making a Difference and inaugural Grandparent Award. From a doctor who helped change the way schools in his home state handle allergic reactions to principals who have improved the quality of life for students with food allergies, the recipients of this year’s awards all share a desire to improve the lives of individuals with food allergies.

FAAN honored 11 individuals, one corporation, and a nonprofit preschool with awards this year. And in its debut year, the Grandparent Award attracted many worthy nominees and two exemplary winners.

“We are humbled by the accomplishments of so many people who have shown grace and compassion in caring for people with food allergies as well as educating others and increasing awareness,” said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN. “I am so pleased by the overwhelming number of people who are giving so much of themselves for this cause.”

The annual Mariel C. Furlong Award for Making a Difference was created in 1996 to honor individuals and corporations who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference in the lives of individuals with food allergies. The award was named after Mariel Christine Furlong, daughter of Anne Muñoz-Furlong, the founder of FAAN. Furlong’s childhood food allergies inspired Muñoz-Furlong to found FAAN. This year’s recipients were recognized for their involvement in increasing awareness and education associated with food allergies in four categories: Community Service, Food Industry Representative, Health Professional, and School.

This is the first year for the Grandparent Award. The award was created to honor those grandparents whose actions have positively affected the lives of children with food allergies. This award provides an opportunity for family members to show how much they appreciate grandparents’ support.

The awards will be presented to the winners at FAAN’s upcoming Food Allergy Conferences in Illinois (April 18) and New York (May 9).

Winners:

Community Service/Support Group: Joy Leinenbach, Penfield, N.Y., Food Allergies: Coping, Teaching, Supporting (FACTS) and Jodi Stokes, Matthews, N.C., Parents of Allergic Kids (PAK).

Community Service/Awareness: Rachel Barnes, Centennial, Colo.

Food Industry: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Health Professional: Dr. Michael Pistiner, Leominster, Mass., Dr. Kevin Murphy, Boys Town, Neb.

School: CHUM Co-op Preschool, Portage, Mich.
School Principal: Dr. Jean Kendall and Dr. Charles Leone, Munsey Park Elementary School, Manhasset, N.Y.
School District Nurse: Phyllis Lang, Groton, Mass.
School Nurse: Debra Kauffman, Bel Air, Md.
School Dining Services: Sue Wilkerson, Madison, Wis.
School Teacher: Aurora Hoover, Saddle Brook, N.J.

Grandparent Award: Vicky Elwess, Pioneer, Calif., and Dick Cotten, Mars, Pa.

About FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information, resources, and programs for food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts as many as 15 million Americans, including almost 6 million children. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN 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. On May 9, 2012, FAAN announced its intent to merge with the other leading food allergy organization, the Food Allergy Initiative, pending state regulatory approval. To become a member or for more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org.

Media Contact

Nancy Gregory
Media Relations
(703) 563-3066
E-mail: ngregory@foodallergy.org