Next Mariner's peanut-controlled-zone game Thursday July 14

Hope you all had a fun and safe 4th of July! With the holiday behind us I just realized that our next Mariners game is only a week away. Go to www.mariners.com/nopeanuts to order your tickets now. Game is on Thursday, July 14th vs. Texas Rangers. It's the first game after the All-Star break.


Let's recap. Earlier in the season I said that it was true the Mariners were not very good, but we should go support them anyway. Well, heck, they have been playing much better now and are even in the race for first place. So let's really get out there and support them. Their pitching has been out of this world. Maybe we can all go and fire up their offense with our cheering.

And for our last Rainiers game I said it would be your last chance to see Dustin Ackley close up before he got called up to the Mariners. Well, they were a little more anxious than expected and Mr. Ackley got called up just prior to our Raininers game. So now is your chance to see him play in the big leagues.

And let's not kid ourselves. The weather at our first couple of games wasn't the best. But man has it been nice lately. The kids are out of school now, so come on out and enjoy a nice evening at the ballpark.

One important item of note I wanted to mention as well. My main contact with the Mariners, Bob Hellinger, has suffered a pretty serious medical issue and has been in the hospital for a while. He may not return to his work this season while he recovers. I was planning on making a get well sign to hold up at the game and thought other folks may want to do the same. We really did well with signs our first couple of games a few years back, but that has sort of died down. So let's bring that action back. Make get well signs for Bob, make thank you signs for the Mariners, and make garlic fry signs as well.

Basically, let's get out there, buy lots of tickets for our section to show our support for their efforts and then really show it during the game as well. Hope to see lots of you at the ballpark again! Have a great weekend.
Michael San Soucie

Tree Nut Allergy Research in Seattle

Benaroya Research Institute of Virginia Mason is seeking adults for food allergy research.

From Blogger Pictures

Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) is looking for severely tree nut allergic and/or peanut allergic individuals to donate their blood and answer a questionnaire about their allergy history. If you have a severe tree nut allergy, please consider helping BRI’s team of world-renowned scientists identify causes and cures for immune-mediated diseases, such as allergies.If interested, please contact the Allergy Translational Research Coordinator:

Jennifer Heaton
(206)342-6971
jheaton@benaroyaresearch.org

From Blogger Pictures

Benaroya Research Institute Receives $5.3 Million for Allergy Studies
SEATTLE, Wash. - (Feb. 18, 2008) – Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) recently received a $5.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for William Kwok, PhD, and his team to further research allergens.
Dr. Kwok and David Robinson, MD, of the Virginia Mason Asthma and Allergy Clinic, will work together to study immune response to environmental allergens. The scientists will use tetramers to identify and study cells from individuals who are allergic to cat dander, tree and grass pollen, peanuts, mold and others.

Allergies are prevalent in many people’s lives. It is estimated that about 25 percent of the population has allergies based on positive skin test results. About 36 million Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis, 10 million Americans suffer from allergic asthma, and 2 to 4 percent of children and 1 to 2 percent of adults have food allergies.

Tetramers can specifically identify the piece of the allergen molecule (peptide) that a person reacts with. This allows for safer ways to monitor and desensitize patients to allergies. The hope is that this work can lead to an understanding of the role certain cells play in allergies. It is intended that the cells being studied can regulate immune responses that lead to allergic reaction.Currently allergy shots, given to increase people’s tolerance for a particular allergen, contain the whole allergen to reduce the symptoms of allergy. In some cases, the shots may cause life threatening symptoms such as anaphylactic shock and low blood pressure. This research work will lead to development of vaccines that use a small fragment of the allergen (peptide) which will be much safer compared to the whole allergen. It may be able to change the immune system’s tolerance for the allergy without using the actual allergen.

“The long term hope is that the peptides will be more specific with fewer side effects than giving shots with the whole allergen,” says Dr. Kwok. “We would like to develop a more individualized, specific treatment that will reduce any risks using the whole allergen.”

“This grant gives us an opportunity to make a significant difference for people who suffer from allergies and elevate their options for care – yet another great example of how we’re taking research from the bench at BRI to the bedside at Virginia Mason,” said Dr. Robinson.

Dr. Robinson continued, “From a basic science standpoint, being able to identify what the T-cell recognizes in the allergen is a fundamental step in the allergic immune response that we have not been able to define before. This will potentially allow researchers to tease apart fine details of the allergic immune response and this could lead to other treatment approaches that have not yet even been conceived.”

About Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia MasonBenaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI), founded in 1956, works to unlock the mysteries of the immune system. Its team of world-renowned scientists is focused on identifying causes and cures for devastating diseases including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. BRI is an international leader in immune system and autoimmune disease research with a focus on translating laboratory discoveries to real-life applications.

Peanut Controlled Section @ Seattle Mariner's June 4th Game!

This weekend the Seattle Mariner's are offering another peanut controlled seating section! It is our day game for all of you with younger children. And the Mariners are playing some AWESOME baseball right now. It is also suppose to be really nice out! What more could you ask for?

So what are you waiting for? Go online right now to www.mariners.com/nopeanuts and order your tickets for this Saturday's game. It starts at 1:10pm. It should be a great day at the park vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.

Hope to see lots of you there so we can show the Mariners that it is worth all their extra time and effort they put into these events for us. They really do go out of their way. Go Mariners!

Michael San Soucie

Deadline to purchase Friday June 3rd at noon.

Seattle FAAN Walk 2011

From Seattle FAAN Walk & Kyle Dine Event

From FAAN Walk Seattle and Kyle Dine Concert

Hello Everyone,

I would to take a few moments to encourage you to sign up for this years food allergy walk in Seattle. My family and I have tons of fun attending and volunteering at the walks every year. We get to see and talk to so many fantastic people during the event. I can't even begin to tell you how special it is for our allergic child to feel accepted and welcome during the walks.
Seattle, FAAN walk 2011

Date of Walk: Saturday, August 20, 2011
Location: Warren G. Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
Check-In Begins: 9:00 a.m.
Walk Begins: 11:00 a.m.
Distance: 2 miles
Contact: Walkseattle@foodallergy.org
Restrictions: No pets, glass bottles, bikes, roller skates, or skate boards. Baby strollers and wagons are welcomed.

You can see Seattle-walk photos from the last two years at the link below:
http://picasaweb.google.com/WAFEAST

Signing up for the walk is easy. You can join a team that already exist, start your own team, sign up as an individual, or you can even join as a cyber-walker if unable to attend.

We hope you will participate in this years walk as a volunteer and/or a walker.
Washington FEAST - team

Tiesha

Play Ball!

2011 Peanut-controlled zone Seattle Mariner and Tacoma Rainier games!
I know the snow is just now melting away. But spring training is in full swing down in sunny Arizona. Ah, sun! That means baseball season is not far away. Actually, it is only about a month away before the first pitch. So I wanted to let you know that tickets are on sale now for both the Seattle Mariners and Tacoma Rainiers 2011 peanut controlled games.

To order Mariner tickets simply go online to www.mariners.com/nopeanuts and choose the games you want to attend. As always, tickets are only $11! That is a great deal for a Mariner game and we have four dates (5/7, 6/4, 7/14, and 8/17) to choose from including two Saturday games. One Saturday game is even a day game which is one of our most common requests.

For Tacoma Rainier tickets, please call Ryan Latham at 253-722-1041. Cheney Stadium has gone through a major remodel this off season so come out and see what is new at this wonderful old ballpark. Our first game at Cheney Stadium this season is a Sunday day game (4/17) on the opening weekend of the stadium. Be one of the first to attend a game at the newly refurbished stadium. By the way, I did say "our first game at Cheney Stadium this season.". Yes, we do have a second game with the Rainiers in 2011 which is on June 22nd. That is new. Also new at Cheney Stadium this year, they will be asking anyone who buys tickets for the peanut controlled seating area to sign a waiver. I mention that so you are not caught off guard. Tickets for the Rainiers are $9.95 and include either a hot dog, chips, and soda or a souvenir item for those with food allergies who can't eat the food option. Just let Ryan know which package you need.

I hope to have a flyer soon for the Rainiers game. Once I do I will share it with all of you so you can print it out and have your doctors and allergists hang them up in their office or advertise anywhere you can think of for this. For the Mariner games, you can simply print out the website and hang that around to help get the word out about these options for families with food allergies. See you all at the ballpark.

Play ball!

Michael San Soucie

From Peanut Controlled Zone - 2008

Valentine Candy Finds

Thank you to our guest blogger, Michele!

Here is some timely information that might be helpful for those wanting Valentine candy but have food allergy concerns.

This link includes:
Yummy Earth assorted lollipops
College Farms assorted nature pops
Surf sweets gummy bears/worms-PCC/Whole foods
Glee Gum-Whole foods
Enjoy Life Chocolate bars and chips

Amanda's Own dairy free/nut free chocolates-online has more delicious chocolate for those with several food allergies.

Click here for a link to Valentine's candies free of the TOP 8 allergens (milk, egg, peanut, tree-nut, shellfish, soy, wheat, fish). In addition to being available on-line, some are at PCC and Whole Foods.

This link has candy in general (not just holiday) that is free of the TOP 8 allergens. There is quite a bit. Candy heaven for any child. This website is a great reference for finding candy that at least NATURAL and some of it is socially responsible. Free of artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup can also make it guilt free in feeding it to your child. Calorie free? uh, no. ;-)

Cheers,
Michele
Mother of child who is allergic to wheat, egg, dairy, nuts, tree nuts, peanuts, and shellfish

This is posted only for your information. As with other information on the Internet, please research to verify if these products meet your individual needs. WA-FEAST takes no responsibility for the claims of the companies listed in these links.

In Memory and Hope for 2011

We’d like to pause to take time to remember those who we've read about that have had fatal food reactions in 2010. We are thinking of their families and loved ones as they must move into 2011 without them. Our tribute to them.

Yla Aquino age 17 died May 2010 Chino Hills, California (peanut allergy) prom night

In Memory of Yla Aquino YouTube Video

Poppy Harvey age 19 Suffolk (England) died June 2010 (nut allergy) snack at work
In Memory of Poppy Harvey YouTube Video

Darren Taylor age 44 Teesside (UK) died July 2010 (unknown fin-fish allergy) fish caught on fishing trip eaten at home

Teesside Angler dies after eating fish

Kevin Edouard age 21 of Spring Valley, New York on a cruise off Florida Coast died August 2010 suspected peanut allergy (unconfirmed report)

Nyack's Kevin Henry Edouard

Molly Dyer age 13 England (nut allergy) take-away curry

In loving memory of Molly Dyer 1997-2010

Katelyn Marie Carlson age 13 Chicago died December 2010 (peanut allergy) Chinese food brought in for school party

Katelyn Carlson

We hope that in their memory, we can find solutions for those affected by severe food allergies. There is hope for the future!

Five years after Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress, FAAMA has finally passed as part of S150 (FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Summary). It is expected to be signed into law by President Obama.
(4) Directs the Secretary to develop voluntary food allergy and anaphylaxis management guidelines for schools and early childhood education programs.
This is a victory and a step in the right direction.

There are also several ongoing studies which may lead to new treatments or even better . . . A CURE! Check out these video links for a recent summary by the Food Allergy Initiative
Evening About Research. Video 1 of 3
Evening About Research. Video 2 of 3
Evening About Research. Video 3 of 3

WA-FEAST is grateful for your support of food allergy education, awareness and advocacy. We wish a safe 2011 to you and yours.