From our holiday newsletter

"The big news in our lives is that Ari and Aviv were, miraculously, admitted to a cutting edge, research trial at Stanford, which has had great success in previous trials in desensitizing children to their food allergies. What this means for us is that we will spend the next 6-9 months bringing the boys to Stanford Hospital every two weeks for treatment that will hopefully desensitize them to their life-threatening nut allergies. The treatment itself will not be easy, but is certainly worth it. Gone would be the days of anxiety over what nut residue may lurk on every library book, playground equipment, soccer ball, school art supply, restaurant table, birthday party bouncy and airplane seat. Our kids would be - for the first time - free to eat whatever they want, anywhere they want, without the fear of having an anaphylactic reaction. We can’t begin to explain how life changing this would be for our family.

This miracle is due to the phenomenal research and perseverance of an amazing doctor at Stanford, Dr. Kari Nadeau, and her team, who are making it all happen. Dr. Nadeau’s allergy desensitization research and treatment is funded through philanthropic donations, so we invite you to join us - and Ari and Aviv themselves, who have been collecting change and have donated it to her research – in supporting her important work. Ari announced proudly to his classmates, the day after receiving the good news that he and Aviv had been accepted into the study, that by the time he enters First Grade (9 months from now!), he won’t have nut allergies anymore. We want to do everything we can to help his dream come true. To learn more and give, please go to http://foodallergies.stanford.edu/.

So as 2011 comes to a close, we feel incredibly grateful – grateful for the joy our children bring us, grateful to live in a beautiful area with amazing medical care, grateful to be a part of a warm community, and grateful to have you in our lives.

Wishing you only the best in 2012."