When Hayden Knight was just 2 years old, he was given a diagnosis his mother Angie couldn’t even pronounce: eosinophilic esophagitis. It’s one of a group of related disorders called eosinophil-associated diseases, but even as a group, they were too rare at the time for Angie to find the support she needed.

Within a couple months, Angie had co-founded a statewide support group for parents of children with EOS diseases and created an interactive map feature for Facebook that allows families to find their EOS neighbors worldwide.

Today, Angie Vos, a landscape designer at SCJ, continues her work for EOS families and her now 10-year-old son, Hayden.

“The support group now has more than 100 members across the state,” she said. “We mostly connect online, where we strive to provide education, awareness and advocacy for those living with eosinophilic disorders.”

The group has meet-ups and play dates and has held fundraisers, a summer camp, and medical conferences. They also lobbied to get legislation passed (RCW 41.05.188 and RCW 48.43.176) requiring insurance coverage for the elemental formulas that many patients rely on for their only or primary nutrition.

“Angie’s fight for her son and commitment to this cause has been inspiring to watch,” Principal Landscape Architect Jeff Glander said. Jeff and Angie have worked together for 22 years.

“In a matter of months after Hayden’s diagnosis, she had already done so much for her new community. Her passion knows no bounds.”

To learn more about eosinophil-associated diseases, visit the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders website.