Ending Food Allergies: EAT Keeps Eyes on the Prize
Imagine if all the warning you had from your child about an anaphylactic reaction gathering steam was that her “tongue feels heavy” or “it feels like there are bugs in there”? Could you read the smoke signals? Would you shrug it off? Or would you grab for the epinephrine and give your child the shot? What if this was your child’s first reaction? Would you figure it out in time?
Millions of people around the globe live each day, held hostage by the fear of having anaphylactic reaction...just from eating the tiniest morsel of a food their body mistakenly identifies as an invader.
Allergy Force recently caught up with Elise Bates, President and Co-founder of End Allergies Together (EAT), a non-profit organization that is relentlessly fundraising to invest in fundamental research for food allergy answers and solutions.
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer…” –Harriet Tubman
Elise and her co-founders, Greg Bates and Tom & Kim Hall, launched EAT in May 2015 to accelerate highly promising treatments and cures for the global food allergy epidemic that affects an estimated 220-250 million people worldwide.
There are many unknowns driving this epidemic begging for answers:
- From the underlying factors causing the onset of food allergies – why some people and not others? Why some at birth? Why others as adults?
- To consistently and accurately diagnosing the condition,
- To fully understanding why a body goes into anaphylaxis.
“We can’t cure something we don’t fundamentally understand. Major investments in basic science are critical,” explains Elise. “If you think about Epilepsy, the disease affects about a 10th of the number of people who have food allergies, yet there are 5 classes of treatment options.” Eventually, there could be an entire portfolio of treatment options for food allergy. Investments in fundamental research, such as those made by EAT, will be instrumental in eventually improving quality of life for those living day-in and day-out with the anxiety, fear, frustration and isolation imposed by food allergies.
Why EAT?
While a college student, Elise’s husband and co-founder, Greg Bates, was deeply touched by the sudden and tragic loss of his college roommate’s brother from an allergic reaction. Years later, the Bates family experienced anaphylaxis firsthand when their daughter, severely food allergic to multiple allergens from birth, had an anaphylactic reaction at age 10. The fear of losing something as precious as your child is a powerful motivator, inspiring selfless acts of giving and love.
Wanting answers and finding none, Elise and her husband, both Harvard B-school grads, were inspired to chip away at the problem in case study mode. They analyzed the food allergy industry -- who were the players? What was the level of existing investment? Where were investments channeled? Where was it all headed? While their analysis identified significant investments in educating and building awareness around the problem, it also highlighted that investment in fundamental research came up short. This imbalance needed to be fixed.
Elise looked to other successful nonprofit models for inspiration. Elise and her co-founders created an organization that they’d want to invest in themselves: low overhead, 90% of funds to research, objective investment decision making and a brand that was friendly and relatable, a brand anyone could adopt, partner with.
“As a community, we have to work together to get things done more quickly, efficiently, and effectively—it’s all about keeping eyes on the prize”
EAT put together a team of high-powered women who “have been there, done that” on the career front and who want to work part-time in an impactful way. Everyone at EAT is touched by food allergies in some way. It’s a food allergy family. “We are all juggling,” confesses Elise, but “EAT gets more hours out of this model than we would out of part- timers who aren’t believers.” The EAT team is obsessed by the goal and keeps eyes on the prize…answers and solutions.
EAT has been road testing different fundraising approaches, from organizing large-scale gala events, to attracting individual donors seeking impact investment opportunities, to more grassroots approaches like sponsoring fun runs, basketball shootouts and group work outs (aka “sweat sessions”) at the local level. Localized events deliver an attractive ROI for EA. For example, on October 6th EAT will host a ‘Run to EAT 5K Run/Walk’ in Connecticut and will host a number of ‘Sweat to EAT’ events in partnership with Orangetheory Fitness throughout the fall. The beauty of these grassroots initiatives is that they cost little to pull off and are locally accessible/relevant to families eager for answers.
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” –Abraham Lincoln
“Our niche is trying to get the research and investment community together to solve a specific problem,” explains Elise. “…but there are many hurdles to overcome and many interdependencies – competing investment options, research prioritization, pharma engagement, the regulatory process.”
In the early days, Elise recalls that EAT “put the money out there and received a lot of research plan submissions.” EAT began to allocate investments in a more targeted and strategic way with the help of advisory boards. EAT’s advisory board structure is architected to ensure the investment allocation process remains objective. The organization has a medical advisory board comprised of subject matter experts who are not conducting research themselves, and a scientific advisory board who advise on the science. Elise adds, it’s like “a separation of Church and State. Those making investment decisions for EAT are not in a position to benefit from those decisions.”
In its first year, EAT raised $500K and funded 3 studies. Over the years EAT has funded many more. In spring 2019, EAT launched the $1 Million Anaphylaxis Grand Challenge to detect, treat or prevent anaphylaxis because a fundamental understanding of the anaphylactic response is still lacking. “Anaphylaxis is keeping us all hostage with fear of a life-ending reaction that can happen any time, any place,” she reflects. “If we can mediate the anaphylactic response, that would be a game changer.” Through this challenge EAT wants to bring expertise together from other disease states – neuroimmunology, oncology – to solve the anaphylaxis conundrum. The winners will be announced in early 2020.
“The best times begin at the end of your comfort zone” –Unknown
The task of ‘feeding the research beast’ is daunting. It takes millions of dollars. Most of us are not able to write the big donation check, but there are things you can do to help find better treatments and cures for food allergies. You can bring your expertise, your passion, what you like to do, your energy, your joy and volunteer. “Help us end this,” invites Elise. “Join our Mission. Fundraise. Spread the word. Be a partner. Donate. Just get in the game because we need everybody!”
Living with food allergies is like driving an icy mountain road at nightfall during a snowstorm – with each bend in the road you’re thankful you’re still on the road, still intact. Now – with increased investment in fundamental research, differentiated lines of scientific and promising therapies clearing significant regulatory hurdles --- there is hope that ‘driving conditions’ for the food allergic will improve. Dramatically. Soon.
We can End Allergies Together
#endallergiestogether #changeagent #foodallergies #foodallergy #give #research #cure #AllergyForce