My Time at the Ball, the 2017 Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Ball with SpoonfulOne

15 million people in the United States suffer from food allergies, with reactions ranging from minor like swelling or a rash to major like anaphylaxis. In fact, babies born today are at a much higher risk of developing a food allergy than ever before, and it’s fast becoming a national health crisis.

With food allergies affecting more and more people, particularly children, you would think that combating them would be a major public health concern, right?  The issue, however, is that food allergies are silent.

You rarely see their impact, which means it can be rather hard to grasp their significance until you have been impacted, yourself.

At 9 months, Harper was diagnosed with 5 food allergies: almonds, hazelnuts, eggs, flax + sunflower seeds.

Many people think food allergies sound like a minor annoyance, something that can just be brushed aside like-say, dry skin.  I’ve often overheard people complain that their kids can’t take peanut butter to school in utter annoyance, frustrated that they have to be mindful because of someone else.

This mindset absolutely drives me crazy because these requests are not merely for the convenience of someone else like say, please use headphones while listening to music in public.  Rather, food allergies are a major medical concern that can result in death, anaphylactic shock, lengthy and expensive hospitalizations, significant autoimmune reactions and more.

Food allergies are real.  And food allergies are extremely concerning.  And that’s why the Food Allergy Research & Education or FARE was created to provide advocacy, education, research and support to families, doctors, companies, the government, and public.

As many of you know, Harper suffered from several food allergies as a baby, and I myself am allergic to casein and soy. While it’s true that children with family history of food allergies have a higher risk, I learned that anyone can develop a food allergy, even if both parents are allergy-free. Research shows that for 65% of people with an allergy, there was no parental history. That’s why it’s really important for me to share what I’ve learned about taking action against food allergies with all parents.

Food allergies are a topic close to my heart, and I was absolutely thrilled to attend the FARE Ball with my friends at SpoonfulOne.

Heading to New York City for FARE Ball with SpoonfulOne was a dream come true because what girl doesn’t want to go to the ball? And a ball with an incredible purpose is even better!

The FARE Ball celebrated its 20th anniversary last month on Monday, December 4, 2017, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.  The incredible evening raised over $2 million to advance research, advocacy and support.

The evening celebrated the LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut) Study that was published in 2015 in the New England Journal of Medicine which proved it is safe to introduce peanuts to babies, even among those at risk of developing peanut allergies.

Most importantly, the study proved that early and consistent introduction of peanuts to babies between 4 and 11 months of age reduced the risk of developing peanut allergies 5-fold.

20 incredible people were honored representing each of the 20-year historieshistory of the FARE Ball.  You May have heard about honorees: Becky Basalone, who created the Teal Pumpkin Project®  to signify allergy-safe treats on Halloween, and the Walt Disney Parks for their incredible commitment to providing safe food that everyone can eat.

Also receiving an award was Dr. Kari Nadeau from SpoonfulOne!  Dr. Kari Nadeau is a Stanford pediatrician, mother of five, and one of the nation’s foremost experts in allergies. She has spent her life researching immunology and delivering compassionate care to her patients. Her team developed the first food-based protocol to prepare children for common foods that could cause food allergies. Having spent decades helping families cope with difficult food allergies, she is now motivated to help a new generation take a more proactive approach. Her patented formula paved the way for SpoonfulOne.

Now This is really why I felt like such a belle at the FARE Ball.  Harper had allergies as a baby, and if I can help prevent other parents from experiencing the same fear and anxiety that I did, well, then I have done some serious good!

In the coming weeks I will be sharing more about SpoonfulOne, an incredible food product that introduces the top allergens to babies as early as 4 months to help reduce the risk of food allergies.

If I could go back and change ONE THING in the 6.5 years that I have been a parent, it would be to introduce SpoonfulOne to both of my kids as babies.  Sadly it wasn’t around when my kids were little, but it is available now and can literally change the course of your child’s life!

*This post is sponsored by SpoonfulOne.  All views and opinions are my own and as always, I only partner with brands and companies that I love.