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'Food Should Not Hurt': Global Patient Alliance Launches EoE Patient Care Path Campaign on World EoE Day
VIENNA, AUSTRIA, May 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), together with patient advocacy organizations from 9 countries, today announced the launch of the "Food Should Not Hurt" campaign - a call to action for improved patient care pathways in Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), timed to coincide with World EoE Day on May 22.
EoE is a chronic, immune-mediated disease in which a build-up of white blood cells in the esophagus, the tube that carries food to the stomach, causes swelling, inflammation, and injury. Despite the significant burden it places on patients and caregivers, the condition remains widely underdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
For patients, eating, something most people take for granted, becomes a daily ordeal. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, the sensation of food getting stuck in the throat, chest pain, and persistent acid reflux that doesn't respond to standard treatment. In children, EoE may also present as poor appetite, vomiting, and failure to thrive.
About EoE Day 2026 ground-breaking campaign:
"Food should not hurt," said GAAPP on behalf of the alliance. "Yet for hundreds of thousands of people living with EoE around the world, every meal carries the risk of pain, food impaction, or a trip to the emergency room. This campaign is about changing that reality, through awareness, earlier diagnosis, and a clearer path to care."
The "Food Should Not Hurt" campaign launches as part of the second annual World EoE Day (#EoEDay), observed every May 22. Now in its second year, the initiative has grown to encompass 14 patient advocacy groups from Spain, Italy, the United States, Switzerland, Serbia, Brazil, Israel, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Austria, spanning five continents from across the globe, united under the EoE Day Alliance, and reflecting the condition's reach across age groups, geographies, and healthcare systems.
To maximize the campaign's global reach, the Alliance has produced a patient awareness video translated into nine languages: English, Serbian, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, and Arabic, ensuring that the message of "Food Should Not Hurt" reaches patients and families regardless of where they live or what language they speak.
Advocating for accurate and early diagnostic:
Patients often wait years before receiving a correct EoE diagnosis, as it's frequently confused with acid reflux or dismissed altogether. EoE is more common in males and those with allergies or a family history of the condition, but anyone can develop it.
Treatment options have improved significantly and now include dietary changes, steroids, and newer biologic therapies — though access varies widely depending on where you live, and many patients aren't aware of what's available to them.
Living with EoE takes a real toll. People often struggle with anxiety and depression, avoid eating in social situations, and may miss work or school. Caregivers are affected too. The "Food Should Not Hurt" campaign is built on the understanding that EoE is as much a social and emotional condition as a medical one, and that good care needs to address all of it.
Other events and actions during EoE Day 2026:
World EoE Day 2026 will see the 14-member Alliance mobilize across social media, healthcare settings, and public spaces, bringing the pink color of EoE awareness to buildings, digital channels, and community events in multiple countries. The Alliance also collaborates on a joint multi-language webinar where patients can meet experts and get education and live answers to their questions. The Alliance calls on healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to join the movement: learn the signs of EoE, advocate for shorter diagnostic delays, and support equitable access to care.
About GAAPP
The Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP) is an umbrella organization representing more than 200 patient organizations worldwide. GAAPP advocates for patients living with atopic, allergy, and airway conditions, working to raise awareness and ensure access to care for the more than 1 billion people affected globally.
EoE is a chronic, immune-mediated disease in which a build-up of white blood cells in the esophagus, the tube that carries food to the stomach, causes swelling, inflammation, and injury. Despite the significant burden it places on patients and caregivers, the condition remains widely underdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
For patients, eating, something most people take for granted, becomes a daily ordeal. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, the sensation of food getting stuck in the throat, chest pain, and persistent acid reflux that doesn't respond to standard treatment. In children, EoE may also present as poor appetite, vomiting, and failure to thrive.
About EoE Day 2026 ground-breaking campaign:
"Food should not hurt," said GAAPP on behalf of the alliance. "Yet for hundreds of thousands of people living with EoE around the world, every meal carries the risk of pain, food impaction, or a trip to the emergency room. This campaign is about changing that reality, through awareness, earlier diagnosis, and a clearer path to care."
The "Food Should Not Hurt" campaign launches as part of the second annual World EoE Day (#EoEDay), observed every May 22. Now in its second year, the initiative has grown to encompass 14 patient advocacy groups from Spain, Italy, the United States, Switzerland, Serbia, Brazil, Israel, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Austria, spanning five continents from across the globe, united under the EoE Day Alliance, and reflecting the condition's reach across age groups, geographies, and healthcare systems.
To maximize the campaign's global reach, the Alliance has produced a patient awareness video translated into nine languages: English, Serbian, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, and Arabic, ensuring that the message of "Food Should Not Hurt" reaches patients and families regardless of where they live or what language they speak.
Advocating for accurate and early diagnostic:
Patients often wait years before receiving a correct EoE diagnosis, as it's frequently confused with acid reflux or dismissed altogether. EoE is more common in males and those with allergies or a family history of the condition, but anyone can develop it.
Treatment options have improved significantly and now include dietary changes, steroids, and newer biologic therapies — though access varies widely depending on where you live, and many patients aren't aware of what's available to them.
Living with EoE takes a real toll. People often struggle with anxiety and depression, avoid eating in social situations, and may miss work or school. Caregivers are affected too. The "Food Should Not Hurt" campaign is built on the understanding that EoE is as much a social and emotional condition as a medical one, and that good care needs to address all of it.
Other events and actions during EoE Day 2026:
World EoE Day 2026 will see the 14-member Alliance mobilize across social media, healthcare settings, and public spaces, bringing the pink color of EoE awareness to buildings, digital channels, and community events in multiple countries. The Alliance also collaborates on a joint multi-language webinar where patients can meet experts and get education and live answers to their questions. The Alliance calls on healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to join the movement: learn the signs of EoE, advocate for shorter diagnostic delays, and support equitable access to care.
About GAAPP
The Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP) is an umbrella organization representing more than 200 patient organizations worldwide. GAAPP advocates for patients living with atopic, allergy, and airway conditions, working to raise awareness and ensure access to care for the more than 1 billion people affected globally.
Haris Badzic
Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform
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