Donate Now For most families, mealtimes are moments of connection. But for some children, eating can mean pain, fear, or frustration.
Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EoE) is a painful, lifelong condition that causes inflammation in the oesophagus - the food pipe that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. It can make swallowing difficult and lead to food getting stuck. For children, this often means slow eating, fear of choking, poor nutrition, and social isolation.
Right now, there is no simple way to monitor or treat EoE. Children must undergo repeated endoscopies under general anaesthetic to track inflammation and test which foods might be safe. Many are placed on highly restrictive diets that remove major food groups like dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, and nuts, often without clear guidance on what’s truly triggering their symptoms.
We need your help to raise $30,000 to fund a dedicated research grant and team researching new treatment and monitoring options that can transform how EoE is treated.
The research project - Developing New Therapies and Ways to Monitor Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EoE) in Children – led by Associate Professor Adam Collison based in HMRI and John Hunter Children’s Hospital is hoping to change the experience of children and their families with EoE.
To raise $30,000 to fund a dedicated HCRF research grant that supports the development of:
Non-invasive ways to monitor EoE, using ultrasound and improved clinical tools.
Personalised treatment approaches, using tissue grown from children’s own cells to test therapies safely in the lab.
By funding this grant, you’re helping to:
Reduce the need for repeated, invasive endoscopies under anaesthetic.
Improve nutrition and quality of life by making elimination diets more targeted and manageable.
Accelerate the development of new, safer treatments for EoE.
From the moment he was born, Felix’s journey hasn’t been easy. He’s faced constant feeding difficulties and unexplained pain that left his family searching for answers for years. Eventually, those answers came in the form of a diagnosis - Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EoE) - a rare and lifelong immune condition that affects the oesophagus.
For children like Felix, everyday foods can trigger the body’s immune system to attack the oesophagus, causing painful inflammation and even food blockages. Unlike common allergies, EoE can’t be detected through regular allergy tests. Families are left to uncover triggers through long and restrictive elimination diets and repeated endoscopies under general anaesthetic.
Some children never pinpoint their triggers at all, leaving them dependent on very limited diets or even feeding tubes to get the nutrients they need. Treatments such as swallowed steroids or biologic medications can bring some relief, but they often come with challenging side effects.
Over the past 18 months, Felix has undergone six medical procedures to help monitor and manage his condition. The experience has taken a toll on him physically and emotionally. He’s lost weight, developed fear around eating and experiences significant anxiety about ongoing hospital visits.
But amid the challenges, there’s hope. Felix’s medical team has narrowed down his likely food triggers to just two, allowing him a little more freedom and confidence at mealtimes. And thanks to groundbreaking research underway here in the Hunter, new possibilities - like a simple blood test and targeted biologic treatments - are on the horizon for children living with EoE.
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Behind every research project is a child - and a family - hoping for answers. For children with EoE, this research offers a path to relief and freedom. It’s about more than science; it’s about helping kids eat a meal without fear and giving parents hope for their child’s future.
Your support can help take this research from the lab bench to the bedside, and change lives here in the Hunter and beyond.
Any donation, big or small, can make a difference. Donations over $2 are also tax deductible.
We know we can do this. We know we can help these families by helping this team make their ideas happen!
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HCRF is an auspice group of HMRI, meaning we operate as a volunteer committee under the governance of HMRI.
HCRF is a volunteer committee dedicated to raising funds that go directly towards research supporting children and families in the Hunter New England Region and across the globe.
