Tag Archives: global

APFED to Honor World EoE Day, May 22

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On May 22, 2025, the global community will recognize the first-ever World Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Day—a significant milestone in raising awareness about this chronic and often misunderstood condition.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic disease in which eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) build up in the esophagus, leading to inflammation, difficulty swallowing, and other complications. EoE can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life, especially when left undiagnosed or untreated.

Despite its increasing prevalence, EoE remains underdiagnosed and frequently misunderstood, leading to delayed treatment for many patients. World EoE Day aims to bridge this gap by raising public awareness of symptoms and encouraging healthcare consultation, and advocating for better care and treatment.

World EoE Day is spearheaded by the EoE Day Alliance, a partnership of patient organizations dedicated to improving awareness and support for those affected by EoE. Members of the alliance include:

  • AEDESEO – Asociación de Pacientes con Déficit de Eosinófilos y Síndrome Eosinofílico de Origen Desconocido (Spain)
  • APFED – American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (USA)
  • ausEE Inc. – An organization dedicated to supporting those affected by eosinophilic diseases (Australia)
  • ESEO Italia – Associazione di famiglie contro l’esofagite eosinofila e le patologie gastrointestinali eosinofile (Italy)
  • FAACT – Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (USA)
  • GAAPP – Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (Austria)
  • Nacionalno udruženje EOE – Više od alergije (Serbia)

“Raising awareness about eosinophilic esophagitis is critical to ensuring early diagnosis and access to appropriate care,” said APFED Executive Director Mary Jo Strobel in a press release issued by GAAPP on behalf of the Alliance. “Too many patients endure years of symptoms before receiving answers. By increasing understanding among healthcare providers and the public, we can reduce delays in recognition and diagnostics, improve outcomes, and enhance the quality of life for those affected by this chronic condition.”

In the coming weeks, the EoE Day Alliance will be developing resources in a variety of languages to be made freely available to all those wishing to join our efforts to raise global awareness of EoE. We’ll post related announcements regarding the availability of new resources to this website (apfed.org) and to APFED’s social media channels when they are available.

World EoE Day will take during National Eosinophil Awareness Week this year, as will World Eosinophilic Diseases Day, which is honored annually on May 18.

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  • Could it Be EoE? If you suspect you or a loved one might have EoE, we encourage you to download this guide and speak to a healthcare provider about symptoms you are experiencing.

 

APFED Honors World Eosinophilic Diseases Day, May 18, 2023

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Atlanta, GA (May 18, 2023) – The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is celebrating  the 2nd annual World Eosinophilic Diseases Day May 18, 2023, to increase global awareness of these conditions.

Eosinophils are a type of blood cell that have a role in immune system responses to medical conditions such as infections, inflammation, and allergies, to name a few. If a person has too many eosinophils without another known cause, it may be because of an eosinophil-associated disease.

The diagnosis depends on where in the body the eosinophils are found, including the gastrointestinal tract, heart, sinuses, blood, lungs, bladder, connective tissue. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, trouble swallowing, food getting stuck in throat, stomach pain, loss of appetite or weight loss, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, and wheezing.

Eosinophil-associated diseases are chronic conditions that require ongoing medical care. The symptoms and day-to-day management of these conditions may significantly impact quality of life. The conditions affect both adults and children.

“Eosinophilic diseases affect people around the globe,” said Mary Jo Strobel, APFED’s Executive Director. “By uniting with patient advocates around the world, we can speak with a unified voice, calling attention to the myriad of symptoms patients experience. Elevating awareness of these conditions can help reduce diagnostic delays and lead patients to treatments faster.”

This year, in celebration of World Eosinophilic Diseases Day, APFED announced new resources, including:

 

  • A podcast episode (number 023) featuring Dr. Florence Roufosse, President of the International Eosinophil Society, who discussed global unmet needs for eosinophilic diseases.
  • A multicomponent cross-sectional needs assessment study for EoE in the US. APFED collaborated on this study which aimed to understand the patient journey for EoE as well as health care providers’ awareness of and practice around EoE. The summary is available in a report called Life with EoE: The Patient Experience and Opportunities to Improve Care in the U.S.
  • A plain language summary of a landmark patient charter for eosinophil-associated diseases, which was the outcome of a global collaboration. The summary was published in the journal Immunotherapy.

 

To learn more about eosinophil-associated diseases, visit apfed.org.

 

About American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

Founded in 2001, the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assists and supports patients and families affected by eosinophil-associated disorders, by providing education, creating awareness, supporting research, and promoting advocacy. To learn more, visit apfed.org.