House Bill 5338 Update - The bill, which would provide for the development of a statewide school policy for children with food allergies, has passed both houses of the Illinois legislature, but is currently held up along with other bills by the political situation in Springfield between the legislature and the Governor. We are confident that the bill will become law and wish to thank everyone who took time to contact representatives. It did make a difference!

First Meeting Date Change - Monday, 9/22 - Our first meeting of the school year will feature our very own Dr. Jacqueline Pongracic, Division Head of the Allergy Dept. at Children’s Memorial Hospital. Dr. Pongracic will provide an “Update on Food Allergy Research at CMH and Beyond.”

FAAN Walk - Saturday, 9/27 - Please join us for a 3-mile walk through Lincoln Park and along Lake Michigan to raise money for food allergy education, research, and advocacy, and to increase awareness in the community. Please visit FoodAllergyWalk.org for more information.

Food Allergy Initiative Chicago Benefit - We’re thrilled to announce that the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) Chicago will hold it’s first Annual Benefit on Saturday, November 1, 2008, at 7:00p at the Chicago Illuminating Company. Visit FAI-Chicago for more information.

We look forward to seeing you at the MOCHA-Chicago meeting this week as we welcome cookbook author Kim Lutz. Kim is the mother of two food allergic sons. She recently published the Welcoming Kitchen Allergen-Free Recipes for Snacks and Goodies cookbook. The recipes are free of peanuts, nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, fish & shellfish. Two additional cookbooks are coming soon: Welcoming Kitchen Allergen-Free Recipes for Home Cooking and Welcoming Kitchen Allergen-Free Recipes for Entertaining. You may recognize Kim from Chicago Parent Magazine, February 2008 (chicagoparent.com).

MOCHA-Chicago Meeting
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Children’s Memorial Hospital Outpatient Center
2515 N. Clark Street, 7th floor Conference Room (Deming Building)
Chicago, IL
Discounted Parking available in the attached garage

Illinois House Bill 5338 - School Food Allergy Guidelines — passed the Illinois House and is moving to the Senate.

The bill…

Requires the State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, to develop and make available to each school board guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies. Requires each school board to implement a plan based on the guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies.

Thanks go to co-sponsors:

Minority Leader Tom Cross
Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner
Rep. Patricia R. Bellock
Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia
Rep. Elizabeth Coulson
Rep. John Fritchey
Rep. Julie Hamos
Rep. Karen May
Rep. Robert W. Pritchard
Rep. Kathleen A. Ryg
Rep. Michael Tryon

Now, we need you to contact your State Senator and urge him or her to support the bill. Visit Project Vote Smart to find your Senator’s contact info.

From the Asst. Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services:

The purpose of this letter is to extend a personal invitation for you to attend the 2008 State of Illinois Food Allergy Awareness Week Campaign Kick-Off Event. The Campaign Kick-Off event is scheduled to take place on Monday, May 12, 2008, at 10:30 AM in the Children’s Memorial Hospital’s Main Lobby, located at 2300 Children’s Plaza in Chicago (on Lincoln, just south of Lincoln and Fullerton).

As an advocate for children’s health, your participation will enhance the effectiveness of this annual campaign. The kick off event will show strong support for the campaign goal of increased public awareness of the need to reduce the childhood health risks that result from food allergies.

Illinois First Lady Patti Blagojevich announced that the special focus of this campaign will be targeted at educating school personnel, parents and other caregivers on the dangers of food allergies. The campaign is based on the concern that among school children who have allergies, 84% will experience a reaction while attending school. The campaign is directed toward all educational facilities, including child care facilities, community learning centers, public and private primary and secondary schools. In addition, various facilities and organizations serving children such as after-school organizations, park districts, libraries, and social clubs will be included.

The Illinois campaign will include distribution of informational brochures, posters and web page advertisements. Throughout the summer, key public events, as well as summer schools and children camps, will be targeted. The brochures and other materials will be made available, to these entities, to increase the awareness of their staff, as well as assist them in educating the children and families they serve about the risk of food allergies.

We appreciate your ongoing commitment to children and hope that you will be able to participate in this important campaign kick-off event.

Listen online to WGN Radio’s Food Allergy Series, originally aired April 30, and May 1-2, 2008. The series included interviews with Children Memorial’s Dr. Jacqueline Pongracic, Dave, Denise, Bryan and Daniel Bunning.

• WGN RADIO AM 720 will air a three day Food Allergy Series on Wed. April 30, Thursday May 1, and Friday May 2 at 7:00am, 5:00pm and 11:00pm. Children Memorial’s Dr. Jacqueline Pongracic, Dave, Denise, Bryan and Daniel Bunning as well as many others were interviewed for this piece. We hope many have the chance to listen.
• Illinois House Bill 5338: We are hopeful that the House Bill for Illinois Schools will be on to the Senate no later than May 9th. We will of course keep you updated as well.
• FAAN CHICAGO CONFERENCE: Saturday, May 10th is the FAAN Conference. Many of us go and sit together. If you haven’t gone before, it’s well worth it. To register go to www.foodallergy.org
• FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK: May 11-18. Do something to educate and advocate! Have you set up your 504 or Health Care Plan for next year?
• MAY 5/12 MOCHA MEETING: We are so pleased to let you know that we are having Judith Levitt, US Dept of Ed, Office for Civil Rights (Chicago) at our next MOCHA meeting. Judith spoke to our group quite a while ago and is still one of our most memorable speakers! Judith’s office is where you would file a complaint if you felt your child’s civil rights were being violated in school. She has a terrific message for us on what our children’s rights are, how the process works, tips on dealing with the schools….and is open to taking some of our questions. However, please bring your more general questions that will pertain to the entire group. She will have contact information for questions of a more specific nature that you can discuss with her outside our meeting forum. Please join us in Meeting Room 2 in the Basement on Monday, May 12, 7-9 pm at Highland Park Hospital for a very informational and educational evening. Remember that this is the last MOCHA meeting for the season, as we break for the summer.
• CHILDREN’S MEMORIAL FOOD ALLERGY STUDY: Thank you to all the families who have participated. If you haven’t PLEASE take the time to do so. Two locations are available…your family can help research! Go to the www.foodallergyproject.org website to sign up. YES your family matters! We need everyone to do this!
• Chicago will host on June 6-8 the first ever THRIVE EXPO. Go to www.thriveallergyexpo.com
• 2008 FAAN CHICAGO WALK: Walk for Food Allergy 2008 - Chicago, Illinois - Saturday September 27, 2008 The Chicago Walk for Food Allergy is underway for 2008. We are looking for committee members for Logistics, Sponsorship, Publicity, and Walker Recruitment, and we are looking for Volunteers on Walk Day. Please email Eleanor Garrow-Majka through our Contact Us page and let her know of your interest. The event is a 3 mile walk through the Lincoln Park Community along Lake Michigan to raise money for education, research, advocacy, and to increase awareness. On the National Level, Chicago was ranked 5th for donations out of approximately 21 walk sites. 2008 Walk Co-Chairs are Eleanor Garrow-Majka, Founder of POCHA of Will County and Berenice Lagrimas
• FOOD ALLERGY INITIATIVE CHICAGO: We’re thrilled to announce that the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) Chicago will hold its 1st Annual Benefit on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chicago Illuminating Company. The cocktail party will feature drinks, heavy appetizers, live & silent auctions and a raffle with tons of amazing prizes! Honorees are Denise and Dave Bunning as well as Dominique Tougne, Executive Chef of Bistro 110. To become an event sponsor, donate items to the live/silent auctions, join the FAI Chicago mailing list, or volunteer at the event, please email: faichicago@faiusa.org. To donate to FAI Chicago or for more information, please see The Food Allergy Initiative.
• SUMMER SAFE BASEBALL: Kane County Cougars is one of the most popular minor league baseball teams in the country. Contact Erin Wiencek, at (630) 232-8811, Assistant Director of Ticket Operations with Kane County Cougars to get tickets for Peanut Free Night at the ballpark, scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, that includes a post-game fireworks show and the opportunity for fans to run the bases after the game.

We are collecting information from parents about what Illinois School Districts are doing either district-wide or on an individual school basis to make a difference for Children with Life Threatening Food Allergies. We feel that by collecting this information, each school district should not have to reinvent the wheel, just borrow from school districts who have already done it and have done it well. If you have any more information regarding the various food allergy topics in your school district, such as Food Allergy Policies and Procedures in the classroom and lunchroom, Wellness Policy, 504 plans, please see the bottom of this survey for our contact information by e-mail or fax. If the information is posted on your district’s website, please provide us with the Web Address. PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY. WE WILL ONLY HAVE THIS SURVEY POSTED FOR A SHORT TIME. WE ARE TRYING TO COLLECT INFORMATION for AN UPCOMING MEETING. PLEASE COMPLETE SURVEY BY SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2008. We appreciate your time.

Take me to the survey.

REMINDER: MOCHA Meeting is Monday, March 10, 7:00 p.m. at Highland Park Hospital, Meeting Room 2 in the basement.

Our speaker is Jodi Laimacher, MC, RD, CDE. Jodi is a professional dietician who has two food allergic sons. She will talk about how to give a child a balanced diet while eliminating the allergen from their diet.

Also with us that evening will be Shawn Touney, Media Relations Coordinator with the Kane County Cougars, one of the most popular minor league baseball teams in the country. Shawn will share with us details about Peanut Free Night at the ballpark, scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, that includes a post-game fireworks show and the opportunity for fans to run the bases after the game.

Dues are due for 2008. If you haven’t mailed your check already, you can pay in person at this meeting.

Many thanks go out to Rachel Ambrose for packing up and organizing all the accumulated MOCHA stuff.

Thanks also to Carmen-Rae Carlson, our new Membership Coordinator. She is receiving your dues and updating all our contact information. Please let her know if you if you are not receiving emails or mailings.

Finally, thanks to all of you who took the time to email, call or sign the petition for HB 5338. Illinois is one step closer to our goal!

We need your help!

A few of us have been working with Rep. Tom Cross’ office (IL Republican Leader of the House) on legislation to help our children who suffer from food allergies be safe in school with a policy that is consistent throughout the state.

Please sign our on-line petition TODAY and support this bill (we need signatures by Tuesday, 3/4, before our hearing in Springfield). It is very easy and just takes 1 minute of your time.

“As CBS 2’s Medical Editor Mary Ann Childers reports, there’s new research that turns some old advice upside down in dealing with this potentially deadly epidemic.”:

Growing Epidemic Of Severe Food Allergies In Kids