FARE Walk for Food Allergy Comes to Sherwood Island

Westport, CT (August 30, 2016) – The FARE Walk for Food Allergy, one of Food Allergy Research & Education’s flagship fundraising, awareness and community-building programs, will be in Westport with the goal of raising critically needed funds that will make a difference in the lives of 15 million Americans living with food allergies.

The Connecticut FARE Walk for Food Allergy will be held in Westport on Saturday, September 24th at Sherwood Island State Park Pavilion from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. This family fun day will include activities for all ages including a face painter, relay races, carnival games, a strolling magician and live music from Hartford-based reggae band Ras Spectiv. This year’s FARE Walk for Food Allergy will also incorporate an arts and crafts table where children can make Teal Jack-O-Lantern door signs to celebrate FARE’s Teal Pumpkin Project®, a national initiative that promotes safety, inclusion and respect of individuals managing food allergies by encouraging households to display a teal pumpkin and provide non-food treats for trick-or-treaters.

Dr. Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, will serve as the Honorary Medical Chair of the Walk. She will be available for brief allergy-related questions at an “Ask the Allergist” table before the Walk kicks off.

“Grass root fundraisers and activities that increase awareness of food allergy are of paramount importance for supporting research that leads to improvement in care of patients with food allergy and in their quality of life,” said Dr. Nowak-Wegrzyn. “FARE Walks have a long tradition and a large following in the community, a testimony to the strength and commitment to the mission of this organization. At Mount Sinai Jaffe Food Allergy Institute we are grateful for your support that helps us help you and your children!”

The inaugural Connecticut FARE Walk for Food Allergy took place in Westport in 2014, and in two years, has drawn over 850 walkers and raised more than $235,000 helping to advance food allergy research, education, advocacy and awareness initiatives.

"From raising money for research to training schools on how to administer epi-pens to keeping tabs on food allergy studies around the world, FARE is a constant companion in our day-to-day lives,” said Jocelyn Walls, Co-Chair of the Connecticut FARE Walk and Chair of the Connecticut FARE Chapter. “Our oldest son has multiple severe allergies which means that everyday events like going to restaurants and birthday parties can become very complicated and stressful for our family. We have been involved in the FARE Walk since it began in 2014 in order to connect with other families who understand our struggle all too well. If food allergies had a scarier or more scientific-sounding name, they'd undoubtedly get more attention than they do. But they don't, so it's up to food allergy families like ours - with the support of FARE - to get the word out."

FARE, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to food allergy, has been at the forefront of food allergy advances in the areas of research, education and advocacy for more than 20 years. In the United States, 1 in 13 children has a food allergy – roughly two in every classroom – and a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room every three minutes.

The FARE Walk for Food Allergy gathers friends, families, neighbors and co-workers together from coast-to-coast. It has raised more than $24 million since 2004 to fund essential programs to support all those affected by food allergy, a potentially life-threatening disease. Funds raised by the walk help to create high-impact national initiatives such as:

· The FARE Clinical Network, the nation’s largest collaborative network dedicated to food allergy research and clinical care,

· The FARE Investigator in Food Allergy Awards, which provide funding for cutting-edge research to early and mid-career scientists studying food allergy,

· Awareness campaigns to raise the profile of food allergy as a serious public health issue,

· Mobilization on advocacy priorities such as expanding access to epinephrine, the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions, and

· The expansion of the FARE College Food Allergy Program, which is helping colleges and universities provide a safer experience for students with food allergies.

“For more than a decade, the FARE Walk for Food Allergy has united communities in support of those managing this potentially life-threatening disease,” said James R. Baker, Jr., MD, CEO and chief medical officer of FARE. “By fundraising as a walker in the FARE Walk for Food Allergy or donating to a team, you are supporting advances in research, advocacy and education that can change – and save – lives. We can’t do it without your support.”

The 2016 FARE Walk for Food Allergy is made possible thanks to generous support from premier sponsor Mylan Specialty L.P.

For more information, or to register or volunteer, visit www.foodallergywalk.org/connecticut2016.

ABOUT FARE

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children in the U.S. – or roughly two in every classroom. FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. Our work is organized around three core tenets: LIFE – support the ability of individuals with food allergies to live safe, productive lives with the respect of others through our education and advocacy initiatives; HEALTH – enhance the healthcare access of individuals with food allergies to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment; and HOPE – encourage and fund research in both industry and academia that promises new therapies to improve the allergic condition. For more information, please visit www.foodallergy.org and find us on Twitter @FoodAllergy, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.