Celebrating 20 years of impact!
A perfect way to kick off the new month is to celebrate the lasting impacts we have made together in the world of food allergy.
2021 was a special year for Food Allergy Canada, it was our 20th anniversary! We’re excited to celebrate with you and share the major milestones this organization has accomplished over the last two decades.
Whether you’ve been a part of our community for the past 20 years, or just recently discovered the organization – you are at the heart of what we do. Because of you and your support we are able to make great change. Thank you.
Scroll down below to learn more about the impact we made in 2021 and the last 20 years, and the impact that is being made by others in the community. Help us celebrate these true #FoodAllergyChampions.
Impact report
We’re excited to share with you our latest impact report. In this report, you’ll learn how your support is driving impact and how it’s enabled us to transform the food allergy landscape last year, and over the last 20 years.
Plus, view our impact in numbers for a visual look at our impact, learn about where your money goes, read stories from the community, and discover our long-term advocacy initiatives.
Join us in celebrating our 20th anniversary!
Learn about our achievements and areas of focus over the last two decades.
We would not be here without all of you. Thank you to all of our transformational supporters who have helped us change the food allergy landscape over the last two decades. Watch our anniversary video to hear from some of these changemakers.
While much has been accomplished over the last 20 years, our work is far from done. Continue to help us #MakeFoodAllergyCount by supporting our efforts. Together, we can make real and lasting impact.
2022 Community award winners
#FoodAllergyChampions in our community driving impact
Congratulations to this year’s community award winners for driving food allergy impact across Canada. They are true #FoodAllergyChampions. Learn more about their accomplishments.
Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for their commitment to driving change in food allergy? Are you doing great things to create food allergy awareness or advocating to make life better for Canadians with food allergy? We would love to hear how you and/or others are being #FoodAllergyChampions in the community. Visit foodallergycanada.ca/awards to learn more.
Robyn Allen Leadership Award
This award recognizes an individual who has made a unique contribution to the lives of Canadians with food allergy through their efforts in education, advocacy, community building, leadership, or fundraising. The award is in memory of Robyn Allen.
Dr. Julia Upton
Dr. Julia Upton, a Canadian allergist who is on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Immunology and Allergy department, and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Upton has shown tremendous dedication to advancing food allergy awareness and education of patients, families, and the public, while also increasing allergy awareness among medical colleagues. She is actively involved in research focused on food desensitization therapies, allergy diagnostics, and the recognition and treatment of immunodeficiencies.
Plus, she has also shown exceptional leadership through her involvement with our organization, as a valued member of our Healthcare Advisory Board, an expert guest in numerous educational webinars, a medical reviewer, and as a contributor to our “Ask the allergist” newsletter series.
Her accomplishments are many and she is a true champion of the food allergy community.
Sabrina Shannon Memorial Award
This award recognizes two individuals in post-secondary school who have contributed significantly to the Canadian food allergy community. This award is made possible through an educational grant from TD Securities and is dedicated to the life of Sabrina Shannon.
Maeve Gillis
Maeve is a second-year nursing student at Saint Francis Xavier University who has multiple food allergies. Growing up in a rural town in Nova Scotia where the food allergy community is small, Maeve wanted to connect with more youth with food allergy.
She decided to create her elementary school’s first ever allergy support group, and has mentored over 100 children as a mentor in our Allergy Pals/Allies online mentorship program.
Aliegha Dixon
Aliegha is an 20-year-old student at the University of Saskatchewan who is allergic to peanuts. Inspired by Food Allergy Canada and her personal experience navigating food allergy, Aliegha decided to amplify her voice to raise awareness in her community.
She reached out to her local radio station to create professional PSAs (public service announcements) about food allergy, which have been airing across rural towns in Manitoba.
Pryde Family Travel Grant
This award provides two grants for graduate students, medical students or healthcare professionals who have an interest in food allergy/anaphylaxis. The funds help to offset expenses for attending an academic program or event related to food allergy. This grant was established in honour of the Pryde family and friends, and the friends and family of Sean Delaney.
Alyssa Burrows
Alyssa is a MSc Translational Medicine student at Queen’s University, and is studying the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals with allergic diseases, such as food allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis.
She will be using the grant to attend the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting in February 2023 in San Antonio, Texas.
Andrew Thompson
Andrew is a third-year Food, Nutrition and Health student at the University of British Columbia, and is passionate about helping those who may struggle with food security and access to safe, nutritious, and allergen-friendly meals.
He will be using the grant to attend the 2022 Dietitians of Canada National Conference this September.