Washington D.C. based FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) is the nation’s largest non-profit allergy resource. FAAN works with policymakers on federal, state, and local initiatives in areas such as food labeling, epinephrine availability, and management of food allergies in schools, camps, airlines, and restaurants. Tirelessly advocating for safety is FAAN’s CEO Julia Bradsher who has established FAAN’s vision to be a world leader in food allergy and anaphylaxis awareness. We are pleased to announce on June 25, 2010 our own Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board’s Mireille Schwartz has stepped onto the FAAN National Board of Directors. Although she will frequently travel to D.C. to participate in National advocacy, Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board’s scope and role will continue, and now achieve further advancement within our local community due to this strategic partnership.

National Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network: www.foodallergy.org

We’re proud to be recognized by Chronicle Staff Writer Carolyne Zinko as a resource for Tattoo Allergy Safety in this Sunday’s Style Section. 

Article: TV, Celebrities Give Tattoos High Profile

 Here is the full statement: “Tattoos are a wonderful way to express personal creativity and independence, but care should be taken to ensure you’re always treating your body right. Some might believe tattoo inks are made from ‘chemicals’, when in fact most pigments are derived from organic compounds like turmeric, squid inks, logwood, even cinnabar. And all red inks carry risks of allergic reactions. Most tattoo inks technically aren’t ‘inks’; they’re composed of pigments suspended in a carrier solution. If you suffer from severe allergies you can still enjoy tattooing, but these allergic reactions can lead to permanent scarring or other adverse symptoms. So always speak with your artist or ask for the name brand of the ink company and inquire what it’s made from before you get that needle pumping ink under your skin and into your bloodstream.”

Photo Credit: Russell Yip / The Chronicle

In the world of allergies, there are a few common culprits to which many sufferers can relate. But what of those whose allergies fall ouside of the mainstream – for example, allergic to…meat?

 Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board found an interesting study by our friends at ABC News Health.

Article: 12 Unusual Allergic Reactions Revealed

This is an amazing opportunity to help build awareness and fund research to improve the health of millions of people affected by food allergies. FAAN is a national nonprofit whose mission is to raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.

Approximately 12 million people, or 4% of the U.S. population, suffer from food allergy! Over 380,000 California children under the age of 18 years cope with food allergies daily. One in every 25 kids in a school can have a potentially fatal reaction to a food allergen.

One of FAAN’s main fundraising efforts is the Walk for Food Allergy, a family-friendly event that brings the community together in support of FAAN and its efforts against food allergies. In 2008, 25 sponsors and over 600 walkers in San Francisco helped earn over $110,000 for FAAN. Way to go, San Francisco!

With the support of hundreds of sponsors and over 15,000 walkers, FAAN raised $2.3 million from all 26 Walk for Food Allergy events held across the country in 2008. In the sixth year, the demand for FAAN Walks has increased to 36 cities across the nation. On Saturday, September 12, 2009, San Francisco will host its third Walk for Food Allergy in Golden Gate Park.

Mireille’s Honorary Co-Chair, Country Music star Trace Adkins, understands the serious dangers of food allergies from his experience in managing his daughter Brianna’s severe allergies to multiple foods, including to peanuts, milk, and eggs. He continues to help FAAN as the national spokesperson and to serve as the National Honorary Walk Chair for the 2009 Walks.

In 2008, Trace appeared on “The Celebrity Apprentice” in an effort to raise awareness of food allergies and support FAAN. “I’m so pleased to be able to lend my name as the National Honorary Chair,” says Trace.

Please visit foodallergy.org for more information about this important organization and the September 2009 event.

A delicious selection of “Let Them Eat Cake” goodies.

For a truly allergy-conscious catering of delicious treats at your next Bay Area event, we recommend the

good folks at Let Them Eat Cake! They call themselves “The Allergy-Friendly Patisserie,” specializing in egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan deserts, and they’re just great!

Amanda Macdessi, executive pastry chef for Let Them Eat Cake!, provided all of the allergy-safe items at a recent high-profile event that the Juicy Couture store in Union Square hosted for the San Francisco Zoo’s annual fundraiser, ZooFest for Kids.

BAAAB’s Mireille Schwartz, who helped organize the event at Juicy Couture, brought Let Them Eat Cake! into it and was so happy to create an allergy-safe environment for all of the guests.

Contact Information: Let Them Eat Cake! [T: 408-716-8582]

It is truly an honor that the launch party for the Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board was featured in the “Outtakes” section of the March 2009 issue of “San Francisco” magazine, published by Modern Luxury.

The magazine selected a photo of BAAAB founder Mireille Schwartz blowing out the candles on a birthday cake that friend, and BAAAB supporter, Monica Maduro presented at the Epi Party in January.

The magazine’s Laura Rose writes “For most parents with a child that has a life-threatening food allergy, just making sure their child is safe every day is more than enough to worry about. But Mireille Schwarz isn’t like most parents; she understands that all children are ‘our’ children.”

Our thanks goes to Change Starts at Home for helping us spread the word about the BAAAB, and the need to get EpiPens in the hands of families in need.

The article “Lifesaving Lesson Highlights Birthday Bash,” written by one of the City’s best reporters, Carolyne Zinko, notes that “The recent kickoff party for the Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board featured something more valuable than a trinket: a lesson in how to use an EpiPen, an emergency treatment for people experiencing life-threatening allergic reactions.”

The article appears online, and also in SFis, the Chronicle’s monthly style magazine.

With hundreds of big social events taking place in San Francisco each year, it’s not easy to capture the attention of RedCarpetSF.com, which generally covers the biggest, high-profile events in the City.

So what a nice testament to the success of our first awareness-raising event that we are one of the few nonprofit events featured on the site!