Public Relations... FAAN and FAI Announce Intent to Merge... We are pleased to inform you that the nation's two leading food allergy organizations are uniting to advance a cure and promote education for food allergy. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) announced last Wednesday their intent to merge, pending regulatory approvals. The merger will combine FAAN's expertise as the most trusted source of information, programs, and resources related to food allergy and anaphylaxis with FAI's leadership as the world's largest private source of funding for food allergy research. The unified organization will focus on funding research to find a cure, advocating for individuals with food allergies, increasing awareness about the severity and growing prevalence of food allergies, and educating the public and other key stakeholders about the disease and the urgent need for a cure. We will keep you informed as the merger progresses. In the meantime, the following Q&A document will help answer some questions that you may have. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Scenes from NYSASN's Pediatric Emergency Workshop held March 10th at Molloy College                                         * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Our NYSASN School Nurse Orientation Program faculty member and Anaphylaxis/Asthma Educator, Rita Molloy, RN, is the winner of the 2012 FAAN 16th Annual Mariel C. Furlong Award for Making A Difference in the Food Allergy Community in the category of School Nurse. Congratulations on a job well done! Rita will receive her award at the 4/28/12 FAAN Conference in Tarrytown, N. Y. She is looking forward to sharing her expertise with our SNO attendees again this summer in Skaneateles. http://www.foodallergy.org/page/winners-of-the-food-allergy--anaphylaxis-networks-annual-awards-are-making-a-difference-in-the-food-allergy-community * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The National School Boards Association has just released a guide developed with funding from the CDC that is designed to help school leaders and schools establish comprehensive policies and practices that support the safety, well-being, and academic success of students with life-threatening food allergies. http://www.nsba.org/foodallergyguide Please review the wealth of information that has been compiled for use in developing and implementing optimal food allergy management plans. Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you might have. I encourage you to attend the NYSASN School Nurse Orientation Program this summer to prepare for the challenges of caring for students with a myriad of special health needs, to include anaphylaxis. Please click on the link for School Nurse Orientation for additional information.