Hundreds of community and business
leaders, members of civic organizations, and citizens will come together
Sunday, October 7th at De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park in San Diego for a
massive fundraising walk to increase awareness about food allergy and to
raise money for research and education.
The event, which is also being held in 18 other cities across the
country as well as online, is sponsored by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis
Network (FAAN) and is called Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward A Cure.
Last year, it raised more than $1 million nationwide.
More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, which is the
leading cause of anaphylaxis (a severe and potentially fatal allergic
reaction) outside the hospital setting and results in more than 30,000
emergency room visits each year. Eight foods account for 90 percent of all
allergic reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts,
almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, etc.), wheat, soy, fish, and
shellfish. Food allergy afflicts one in 25 Americans overall, and one in 17
under age 3.
"Over the last 10 years, we've seen a doubling of the incidence of food
allergies, and scientists don't know why," says FAAN CEO and founder Anne
Muñoz-Furlong. "It's critical that we all work together to help them find
the answer, as well as a cure."
More than 500 San Diego-area residents are expected to walk with
company teams, organizational groups, families, and individually. Also
attending will be NBC 7/39 News Anchor and Reporter Monica Dean, the San
Diego honorary chair. Joining her in spirit will be the National Honorary
Chair, country music star Trace Adkins.
Registration for the San Diego Walk for Food Allergy begins at 8:00
a.m. There is no fee to participate. Participants will walk a 2-mile route,
after which festivities will be held, including The Rad Hatter hat
designing and rock wall climbing. The event is sponsored by Verus
Pharmaceuticals and Dey Pharmaceuticals. Registration is online at
foodallergy.
"With each step that's taken, we'll move closer to our goal of teaching
others about the serious nature of food allergies, and to finding a cure,"
said Sonya Sheik, walk chair.
On Wednesday August 15, 2007, Whole Foods will donate 5% of the total
proceeds for the day to the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy in the San Diego
area. You can help donate money simply by shopping at the La Jolla Whole
Foods Market location at 8825 Villa La Jolla Drive, on Wednesday between
the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Sheik also announced that 12-year-old Jeremy Dinkin of Del Mar has been
chosen as the San Diego FAAN walk ambassador based on his essay detailing
his experiences with food allergies. In 2006, Jeremy was elected President
of the sixth grade class at Del Mar Hills Academy of Arts and Sciences and
will be attending Earl Warren Junior High school this fall. As the San
Diego FAAN walk ambassador, Jeremy who is severely allergic to over six
major foods and latex, will share his experiences. When asked why he would
like to be the San Diego FAAN walk ambassador, Jeremy said, "I can show
people how to deal with food allergies correctly and help them understand
the importance of being careful and avoiding dangerous foods."
In addition, 17-year-old Kathleen Toohill, also of Del Mar has agreed
to be the Teen Ambassador for the San Diego FAAN walk. Kathleen will be a
senior at Cathedral Catholic High School, where she plays varsity lacrosse,
is an Executive Ambassador, tutors for National Honor Society, and works on
the staff of El Sol, the literary magazine. Kathleen was involved in the
2006 SD FAAN as a volunteer and is also a member of FAAN's 2007 Teen
Advisory Group. She is allergic to peanuts, nuts, soy, melon, peas, and
sulfa and cephalosporins.
ABOUT FAAN
Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the
world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal
condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of
every 25, and is rapidly increasing in prevalence. A nonprofit organization
based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has 30,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 62
other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food
allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, to
advocating on behalf of all those affected by it, and to advancing research
into its causes, prevalence, cure, and prevention. FAAN provides
information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their
families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food
industry, and government officials. The FAAN Medical Advisory Board, which
reviews all of the organization's educational materials, is comprised of 14
of the leaders in food allergy science and medicine in the U.S. and Canada.
In addition to its printed materials, FAAN also sponsors such awareness
programs as Food Allergy Awareness Week, the Mariel C. Furlong Awards for
Making a Difference, food allergy conferences, and fundraising walks. For
more information, please visit FAAN on the Web at
foodallergy
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
foodallergy