Western Allergy hosted the 1st Annual Festivus for FAIT educational update on Thursday, November 23rd, 2023 at the Vancouver Aquarium. 

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Festivus for FAIT 2023 featured speeches from the head of the FAIT program, Dr. Edmond Chan, three incredibly heartwarming patient testimonials, refreshments, a live jazz duet, and more! 

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In British Columbia and beyond, the demand for food allergy treatment is increasing, and innovative solutions to expand access to treatment in a cost-effective way are needed, including delivering treatment to patients living in remote areas, and patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds. The goal of the FAIT program is to bring food allergy treatment to all families in the province who desire it, as well as share our protocols more broadly across Canada and internationally.

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The FAIT program is working towards a future where patients no longer have to worry about their food allergy, which will ultimately lead to improvements in quality of life, and prevention of anxiety, bullying, and social isolation.
 
Imagine after a few years of treatment in the FAIT program, a child with a previous near-fatal reaction to peanut can now safely eat a peanut butter sandwich without fear.

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Festivus for FAIT 2023 was an incredible evening celebrating how far the FAIT program has come and where we are going in the future! All proceeds from Festivus for FAIT 2023 will directly support future education and awareness efforts of the Food Allergy Immunotherapy Program, a collaboration between UBC and BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. 

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Stay tuned for information about the 2nd Annual Festivus for FAIT, which will take place in November 2024.

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To learn more about the FAIT program visit:  http://www.bcchr.ca/foodallergy