Welcome to MOCHA's Winter 2018 ENews!
In a Matter of Minutes: The Severity of Food Allergy with Steve Carell
Watch the FARE PSA that encourages Americans to learn more about food allergies and anaphylaxis.
Contains: Courage FARE Campaign
The Contains: Courage™ Campaign is a transformative five-year fundraising and awareness campaign supporting families living with food allergies, and educating ALL communities about the disease. With your support, FARE will drive awareness, ensure that communities have the tools they need to spread the word about food allergies and raise a historic amount of funding for research, therapies and treatments to improve the quality of life of children and adults who are affected. 
Join the Contains: Courage™ Campaign, with 3 calls to action:
  1. Donate in support of 15 million Americans with food allergy
  2. Share the Contains: Courage™ Campaign video on social media
  3. Share your child’s story so FARE can share it with the world. List their ingredients (what they are made of) and how they contain courage. Please submit your kid’s story and photograph to ContainsCourage@foodallergy.org
FARE Collaborator Program: Join FARE in making a difference!
FARE Boards
FARE is governed by a nine-member operating board known as the Board of Directors. FARE recently introduced two non-voting boards, the Board of Governors and the Board of National Ambassadors, to better position FARE to rapidly respond to the evolving landscape of food allergy and support the organization's growth.
FARE's Impact Report
FARE works hard to ensure that every dollar they raise advances the mission; improving life and health for 15 million Americans with food allergies and providing hope for the promise of new treatments.
2018 Chicago Food Allergy Heroes Walk: THANK YOU!
FARE extends a large Thank You to all who came out to the 2018 Chicago Food Allergy Heroes Walk!
  • 73 walk teams
  • 485+ registered participants
  • $70,000 raised!
Upcoming Events
They Just Don't Get It!
What it's REALLY like to live with Food Allergies
Moorestown, NJ
Monday, January 14, 2019
The No Nuts Moms Group of South Jersey is hosting an event for adults, pre-teens and teens. The goal of the workshop is to help others gain a better understanding of the obstacles around living with food allergies. Visit the link for more information.
Food Allergy Connecticut Presents: Sloane Miller, MSW, LMSW
Stamford, CT
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Licensed social worker and founder of Allergic Girl Resources, Inc., Sloan provides advocacy, counseling, and consulting services to empower individuals with food allergies and their families to engage in the world safely, effectively, and joyously. Join us at Stamford Marriott, 243 Tresser Blvd. in Stamford, Connecticut. Email CTfoodallergy@gmail.com for more information.
FARE Chicago Spring Luncheon
Chicago, IL
Friday, April 5, 2019
Join us for the FARE Chicago Spring Luncheon in Chicago on Friday, April 5th, 2019 at The Standard Club. Expect more details soon.
Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center Luncheon
West Bloomfield, MI
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
The 5th Annual Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center Spring Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
FARE New York Spring Luncheon
New York, NY
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Join us for the FARE New York Spring Luncheon in NYC on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at Cipriani 42nd Street. Expect more details soon.
Newsletters, Webinars, Articles, Books
News from FARE’s CEO:
In November, FARE’s CEO, Lisa Gable, shared the third issue of FARE + Well, a new newsletter that amplifies the voices in our community and provides updates on the various ways in which FARE is working for the food allergy community.
FARE Patient Registry
Take part in life-changing research! Create a free, confidential profile and join our research studies.  
FARE Clinical Trial Opportunities
With more than 100 clinical trials now available, FARE launched the Clinical Trial Finder. This user-friendly interface makes it easier to explore food allergy studies listed by the National Institutes of Health.
FARE's Centers of Excellence
Check out FARE’s outstanding institutions that are members of the FARE Clinical Network, which is a nationwide network of leading research and clinical care facilities with a common goal of ensuring that patients with food allergies have access to state-of-the-art diagnoses, care, research and clinical trials. There are now 31 centers of excellence located in 17 states! 
FARE Online Course - Save a Life:
Recognizing and Responding to Anaphylaxis
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is pleased to announce “Save a Life: Recognizing and Responding to Anaphylaxis,” a free online course available on FARE's website! This 15-minute course covers a number of important topics including the definition and causes of anaphylaxis, how to recognize signs of anaphylaxis, what to do if someone is having an anaphylactic reaction, and how to safely use an epinephrine auto-injector. Individuals will take a quiz following the course and may print out a certificate of completion. 
APFED Webinar - featuring MOCHA's Denise Bunning!
MOCHA Co-Founder Denise Bunning recently hosted a webinar in partnership with APFED, "Finding the Perfect College: A Dummies Guide for Parents of Food-Allergic High Schoolers *The EoE Edition." You can view a recording of the webinar on YouTube!
APFED
The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) mission is to passionately embrace, support, an improve the lives of patients and families affected by
eosinophilic-associated diseases through education and awareness, research, support, and advocacy.
Inspire
Inspire connects patients, families, friends, caregivers, and health professionals for health and wellness support. Connect with others who know what you're going through.
Come SOAAR With Us!
Science and Outcomes of Allergy and Asthma Research (SOAAR) is a research program based out of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Led by Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, the SOAAR team aims to find answers and shape policies surrounding food allergy and asthma.
FACEBOOK USERS: For those of you on Facebook, check out SOAAR's page by searching
The Food Allergy Experience.
The Food Allergy Experience
Written by Dr. Ruchi Gupta and Denise Bunning, The Food Allergy Experience provides a reliable source of information and advice in simple, easy-to-read terms. For those contending with food allergies, the book offers guidance and invaluable perspective. For friends, relatives, health care providers, teachers, and caregivers, the book will instill a better understanding of how food allergies impact life at home, at school, and in the community, helping them to more effectively assist children with food allergies. 
Allergy Amulet Blog:
Amaretto Makes Me More Than Sour
Allergic Living: Airline Guide
Allergic Living: Broadway's Wicked Star Lives Her Dream While Navigating Food Allergies
A Deep Dive into Food Allergy Research and Education by Susannah Fox
Counseling Today:
Supporting Clients Through the Anxiety and Exhaustion of Food Allergies
Kids With Food Allergies: Ready Every Label this Holiday Season
Warning Advisory: Some EpiPen Auto-Injectors May Not Readily Slide Out of Carrier
Chicagoland Hospitals
Immunotherapy Studies at Lurie Children's Hospital
The Food Allergy Research Team at Lurie is the leading clinical trials team in the Chicagoland area participating in multiple immunotherapy studies for wheat, peanut, milk, multiple foods and other approaches. The purpose of the immunotherapy studyis to learn whether or not it can lessen the body’s sensitivity or response to an allergen, resulting in less severe or no allergic reactions. They are currently participating in DBV Technologies Epicutaneous (on the skin – via a patch) Immunotherapy studies. They are also participating in Aimmune Therapeutics Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) studies. Studies for Aimmune require ingestion of an allergen (peanut) in small doses that gradually increase over time. The Food Allergy Research Team is excited about the promising results presented for both OIT and Patch studies that are anticipated to be submitted to the FDA for approval later this year. The research team welcomes peoples’ interest in learning about future studies at Lurie Children’s.
The FASE Program at Lurie Children's Hospital
Food Allergy Support and Education (FASE) hosts monthly Essentials of Food Allergy Workshops, topic-based workshops, and Kids’ Food Allergy Hangouts for patients and friends of Lurie Children's, giving children with food allergy opportunities to be with peers who share their experiences. The FASE Program is led by Sarah Boudreau-Romano, MD, allergist and food allergy mom. Register today for two upcoming Kid Food Allergy Hangouts presented by FASE (Food Allergy Support and Education) Program. Give your kids a chance to meet others going through the same experience.
The University of Chicago
Researchers find promise in a new treatment for peanut allergy, in an article on University of Chicago Medicine Pediatric's website. The study was funded by Aimmune Therapeutics. Read about it below.
Dr. Cathy Nagler
Apps, Food Allergy Friendly Companies, Videos
SPOKIN: 50 Top Rated Food Allergy and Celiac-Friendly Hotels
These are the 50 top rated allergy-friendly hotels in the world according to Spokin app users. There are over 200 properties that users have reviewed across 24 countries. One of Spokin's missions is to open the world for people with food allergies. From Los Angeles to London, this list will take you there.
Have you tried the Spokin App?
The Spokin platform empowers consumers with food allergies and celiac to live the fullest life possible by connecting them quickly to a wide range of resources. Spokin's app customizes each user’s experience to their allergies, location, and interests. Users can discover and share allergy-friendly foods, restaurants, bakeries, hotels, and more. The platform is designed to be informative, engaging and beautiful.
The Safe and Fair Food Company
Clean ingredients, great taste, and allergy-friendly food that everyone loves. Plus, 3% of their proceeds go to Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University. Check them out!
Have you tried OWYN yet?
For those looking for a complete protein to boost their body-building and workout benefits, OWYN is a 100% vegan plant-based protein brand that never compromises taste, while always providing superior health benefits.
Northwestern University: Peer-to-Peer Videos
Dr. Ruchi Gupta and her team have developed peer-to-peer food allergy educational videos that can be shown in classrooms! There are three videos tailored to different grade levels with corresponding FAQ sheets, teacher guides, and discussion questions for use in classrooms. The videos will allow peers to better understand and support their food allergic classmates.
She Said / She Said Podcast, Episode 33:
Tackling life-threatening food allergies & keeping kids safe: Lisa Gable, CEO
Food Allergy Research and Education
"How To Stay Alive - Take Two"
"This is What I Know"
New to MOCHA?
Want to be part of our next ENews?
Have You Checked Out the New MOCHA Website Yet?
Same site. New look! We’ve updated our website to make it more user-friendly and packed it with tons of food allergy content. New to the food allergy community? Visit our What Do I Do Now? page. Looking for helpful links? Check out our Resources page. Be sure to sign up for our ENews!
Both of MOCHA's Co-Founders
spoke at FARECon this year:
Denise Bunning
Anne Thompson
Suggestions?
Do you have a suggestion about content we should add to our ENews or Website? Please let us know! We are not on social media, but respond to every email that we receive.
Contact Us!
Denise@MOCHAllergies.org
afieldthomp@aol.com
kmccready@brickhousesvcs.com
Non-Allergic Food for Thought:

The world is not free of Milk, Egg, Tree Nut, Shellfish,
Peanut, Fish, Soy, Wheat, Seeds.
It is our job as parents to give our children the
Education,
Encouragement,
Experience and
Enthusiasm
To get out there and live their lives to the fullest - safely.
MOCHA is a group of parents sharing information and supporting each other. MOCHA offers support, education, and friendship, to help make managing your child’s food allergies just a little bit easier. Check out our website for the most current news and resources. Click the sign up link above to be added to our email distribution!
Disclaimer : M.O.C.H.A. is not a professional or medical organization. It is a group of parents sharing information and supporting each other. The discussions, meeting minutes, handouts, speakers, agendas, and other products of our support group do not constitute medical and/or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Always discuss individual health questions and medical issues with a qualified personal physician.