Millions of Americans are diagnosed with food allergies every year, most of them young children.  There is no cure for food allergies.  Many food allergies are life threatening, whether from touch or ingestion.  Food allergies cause many ER visits each year for families that are plagued with this disability.  Food allergies cause families to live and lead different lives than families that are not affected by food allergies.  For example, having to investigate a restaurant menu before going to dinner and possibly calling ahead to let the restaurant know that there will be a child with a food allergy coming.  Having to bring a SAFE snack to school everyday for the child affected by food allergies, trying to make sure that the SAFE snack will be similar to what the rest of the children are having so that the child with allergies feels included.  Families often feel isolated because they can not just let their children go on a playdate, there is always constant worry.  Children with food allergies DO NOT leave their house without their Epi pen and Benadryl.  An allergy detection dog is the only source for providing these children affected by food allergies the possibility of leading a NORMAL childhood.  Allergy Detection dogs are considered "service dogs", and are trained just like drug and bomb dogs, only to detect the scent of foods.

Chase Cygan is a sweet and very active 4 year old little boy with severe food allergies to MILK, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, and WHEAT.  Chase was diagnosed with his milk, egg, and soy allergies at 2 months old after being hospitalized for 4 days at Hope Children’s Hospital.  He carries an Epi-pen with him at all times due to his body going into anaphylactic shock if he comes into contact with any of the above allergens.  Chase has been hospitalized 3 times since first being diagnosed.   Christopher Van Horn is a happy and active 2 year old with a severe allergy to DAIRY and PEANUTS. He was diagnosed when he was 6 weeks old after many hospitalizations for breathing difficulty.  Chris has experienced severe allergic reactions from eating, drinking or touching products containing dairy or contaminated with dairy.  Any contact with even the slightest trace of dairy will cause him to have a life threatening allergic reaction.  Christopher carries an Epi- pen and Benadryl at all times in case of any accidental contact. 

The Cygan Family and Van Horn Family are two families that have never met before, never knew about each other.  One thing brought them together-their sons both have severe food allergies and are in need of an allergy detection dog for their sons to live a NORMAL childhood.  These two families have come together to organize a benefit at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, IL on August 23rd, 2009 from 1:00-6:00 p.m. with the purpose of raising money for Chase and Chris to receive a service dog specifically trained for each boys food allergies.  The boys will be receiving their dogs from Angel Service Dogs in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Each dog has a cost of around $15,000.  After the dog is trained, the dog will wear a vest and carry the boys epi pens and Benadryl for them, be able to sweep areas to make sure they are safe and do not contain the allergens that each boy is allergic to, and serve as a life saver to Chase and Chris.  You can check out more on the training of the dogs by visiting www.angelservicedogs.com  for more information.