15 Million Americans with Food Allergies = 15 Million Reasons to Walk

The FARE Walk for Food Allergy, presented by Mylan Specialty L.P., raises critical funds and awareness each year to support Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) in its mission 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.

Join FARE and the food allergy community in Lakewood to raise critical funds for and awareness about this growing public health issue. The FARE Walk for Food Allergy in Lakewood will be held Sunday, October 11th at the BlueClaws Stadium from 9:00am to Noon.

This year, tens of thousands of people will gather at walks in nearly 60 communities nationwide to support their loved ones, friends, co-workers and neighbors living with life-threatening food allergies. The FARE Walk for Food Allergy offers fun activities for the entire family while helping to advance food allergy research, education, advocacy and awareness initiatives.

“Fifteen million people in the United States are living with food allergy, a life-altering and potentially life-threatening disease,” said Donna McKelvey, senior vice president and chief development officer at FARE. “It is for each of these individuals and their families that we work to find life-changing treatments, educate, advocate – and of course, walk. Every step we take and every dollar raised brings us closer to the day when we say FAREwell to food allergies.”

Michelle Oganov, local mom and 2015 Walk Chair, explains the impact FARE has on her family: “As I’m sure any parent of a child with food allergies does, we live with constant anxiety about the safety of our daughter. The list of worries and questions is endless. One of the ways we have been able to minimize our anxiety is through education. FARE has been an excellent educational resource for our family. One of the reasons I took on the responsibility of Walk Chair is because I firmly believe knowledge and education are the most important tools to empower those with food allergies and their loved ones in preventing potentially fatal allergic reactions”.

The 2013 and 2014 FARE Walk for Food Allergy programs raised over $3 million each. Participants can sign up to walk individually or as part of a team. For more information, or to register or volunteer, visit www.foodallergywalk.org/Lakewood2015. Sponsorship opportunities remain available, enabling businesses to show their support for families who are managing food allergies.