Learn more about our upcoming leadership changes, and find out who received our 2017 Robyn Allen Leadership Award for exemplifying extraordinary leadership and dedication in the advancement of food allergy awareness and education.
Read about Auvi-Q’s epinephrine auto-injector for infants and small children, OHIP+ for children and youth that launches January 1, 2018 in Ontario, and check out a video showing a young girl using her own epinephrine auto-injector.
Review our holiday tips on how to keep safe during this season, and learn about our funders and corporate partners, who have generously contributed to our organization.
Changes to leadership at Food Allergy Canada
Laurie Harada
After more than 14 years leading Food Allergy Canada, Laurie Harada will be stepping down as Executive Director as of December 31, 2017. Jennifer Gerdts, former Board Chair, will step into the role and will build on Laurie’s accomplishments. Read more.
You can also read a personal letter from Laurie to you, the members of this community.
2017 Robyn Allen Leadership Award
The Robyn Allen Leadership Award recognizes a special person or group that exemplifies extraordinary leadership and dedication in the advancement of food allergy awareness and education.
This year’s award recipient is TrainCan Inc., a certified food safety training provider. Read more.
U.S. FDA approves Auvi-Q 0.1 mg epinephrine auto-injector for infants and small children
Current 0.15mg and 0.3mg Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injectors
Auvi-Q, known as Allerject in Canada, relaunched in the U.S. earlier this year and is expected to launch the first epinephrine auto-injector with an approved needle length and dose specifically designed for infants and children weighing between 16.5 pounds and 33 pounds.
OHIP+ Children and Youth Pharmacare is launching January 1, 2018: For Ontario residents
OHIP+ Children and Youth Pharmacare is a new program by the Ontario Government that will provide free prescription drugs for youth who are 24 and under, including the EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr. This program will launch on January 1, 2018.
OHIP+ will greatly benefit many individuals and families who have children/youth with food allergies, and who may not have been able to afford an epinephrine auto-injector (e.g. EpiPen®).
Individuals who are 24 years old or younger, and who currently have OHIP coverage, will automatically be covered by this program. You do not need to enroll or register in this program. All you need is a health card number and a prescription.
Holiday tips
Food allergies don’t take holidays, make sure everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
The holiday season is just around the corner and we want to help you make it a safe and successful one!
- Check out our five quick tips on managing food allergy over the holidays.
- If you are travelling over the holidays, be sure to read our travel tips, including important tips from other allergy groups from around the world.
- Beatrice Povolo, our Director of Advocacy and Media, and a mother of a child with food allergy, offers advice on how families with food allergy can enjoy the upcoming holidays. Read her interview. You can also check out the upcoming Today’s Parent magazine (to be released next week) where Beatrice speaks about managing food allergy during the holidays.
- Make sure you read up on our dining out tips, as many holiday festivities will be happening in restaurants or out of the home.
- In our “Get involved” section, you can learn more about spreading allergy-awareness this season with our Allergy-Friendly Food Drive.
FAQs on the guidelines for the early introduction of peanut to babies is now available!
The new guidelines for introducing peanut to babies were released earlier this year. Since then, we have hosted webinars for parents and healthcare professionals to review these guidelines and what they mean.
We’ve recently added another resource for parents, a Frequently Asked Questions document that covers the most common questions by parents, answered by Canadian allergists. Read more and check out the FAQs document.
WATCH: Video showing a 5-year-old have anaphylaxis and use her EpiPen Jr. during an oral food challenge.
Check out this great video by Dr. Scott Cameron, the Children’s Allergy & Asthma Education Centre, the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, and BC Children’s Hospital.
The video shows a 5-year-old girl having a severe allergic reaction during an oral food challenge, and using her own EpiPen® Jr. to safely treat her reaction.
Thank you to our funders and corporate partners for their support!
We would like to thank our funders and corporate partners for their support in 2017.
Through their generous contributions, we are able to develop and implement key educational initiatives and awareness activities that directly benefit the food allergy community and contribute to the overall success of our organization.We couldn’t provide the programs and services we do without their generous support.
Thank you!
- The Bridle Bash Foundation
- Dare Foods
- Enjoy Life
- Family and Friends of Sean Delaney
- Kelloggs Canada
- Loblaw Companies Ltd
- Mars Canada
- Nestle Canada
- Peanut Bureau of Canada
- Pepsico Canada
- Pfizer Canada (Canadian EpiPen® distributor)
- Scotiabank Group
- TD Securities
- TELUS
- Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation
- Williams Wilson Sherport Foundation
Tags: Allerject, Anaphylaxis, auvi-q, early introduction, faq, holiday tips, leadership, ohip+, Peanut, Robyn Allen Award, video