May 14-20, is Food Allergy Awareness Week

This week, May 14-20, is Food Allergy Awareness Week. Don't check your calendars. FAAN - The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network – proclaimed it themselves.

"The 2006 Food Allergy Awareness Week campaign kicks off on Mother's Day, such an appropriate day to salute the millions of mothers of children with food allergy who do so much to educate others in order to keep their children safe," said Anne Munoz-Furlong, CEO and Founder of FAAN. "The new labeling law marks a new beginning as we continue to increase awareness about this growing public health concern within our communities and ask ourselves to help keep children safe."

This past fall, The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2005 (HR 4063) was introduced requesting the federal government to create food allergy management guidelines for schools nationwide. FAAN's primary goal is for school staff across the country to have the tools they need to develop a plan for keeping food-allergic students safe.

According to Munoz-Furlong, "Scientists around the world are investigating food allergy to determine why some people become allergic, how to stop the reactions and how to cure the disease. We are hopeful that in the next ten years or so, there will be significant breakthroughs -- until then, education is key."

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Founded in 1991, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in food allergy information. FAAN, a nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, VA, is dedicated to increasing public awareness about food allergy and anaphylaxis, to providing education, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies. The organization has just under 30,000 members in the United States, Canada, and 62 other countries.

FAAN provides information about food allergy and educational resources to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. Educational materials published by FAAN are reviewed for medical accuracy by the FAAN Medical Advisory Board, which is comprised of 14 of the world's leaders in food allergy science and medicine. In addition to printed materials, FAAN also sponsors awareness programs such as Food Allergy Awareness Week, Food Allergy Conferences, and the Mariel C. Furlong Awards for Making a Difference as well as fundraising walks across the country. Educational materials and information about special programs are also available online at www.foodallergy.org, www.fankids.org, and www.faanteen.org.

Enough press release talk. FAAN is a good organization. Check out their websites.