FAAN Walks

Did you know that the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network is having a food allergy walk in the Cleveland area? Yes they are!


Date: Sunday, September 19, 2010
Time: Check-in begins at 2:00 p.m.; Walk begins at 3:00 p.m.
Location: Progressive Field, Home of the Cleveland Indians, 2401 Ontario Street, Cleveland, OH 44115
Distance: 1 mile
Restrictions: No pets, glass bottles, bikes, roller skates, or skate boards. Baby strollers and wagons are welcomed.

You can go here to sign up or to get more information.

Please join us in finding a cure for food allergies!!

If you don't live in Cleveland but you still want to walk you can check out other locations here.

The walks are great and they are a great way to connect with other people in your community who also have to deal with food allergies.

Why we walk:

* We walk to find a cure for food allergies.
* We walk to increase awareness of food allergy and the effect it has on a community.
* We walk to provide understanding, hope, and an opportunity for a child with food allergy to simply be a child.
* We walk to save a life!

Facts About Food Allergies (from FAAN):


* Food allergy is a growing public health concern in the U.S.
* Though reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise.
* Peanut allergy doubled in children over a five-year period (1997-2002).
* Research suggests that food-related anaphylaxis might be underdiagnosed.
* An increasing number of school students have diagnosed life-threatening allergies.
* A 2007 study has shown that milk allergy may persist longer in life than previously thought. Of 800 children with milk allergy, only 19% had outgrown their allergy by age 4, and only 79% had outgrown it by age 16.
* More than 12 million Americans have food allergies. That's one in 25, or 4% of the population.
* The incidence of food allergy is highest in young children - one in 17 among those under age 3.
* About 3 million children in the U.S. have food allergies.
* The annual number of emergency room visits due to food-induced anaphylaxis in the U.S. ranges from 50,000 to 125,000, depending on the source.
* Eight foods account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
* Food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside of the hospital setting in the U.S.
* There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avodiance of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions to food are important measures to prevent serious health consequences.
* Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.
* Most people who've had an allergic reaction to something they ate thought that it was safe.
* Food allergies are life-altering for everyone involved and require constant vigilance.
* Early administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) is crucial to successfully treating anaphylactic reactions. Epinephrine is available by prescription in a self-injectable device.

We'll be walking. Will you?