A lawyer by training, Marie-Josée Bettez practised this profession for several years before her son Christophe’s many food allergies prompted her to follow an entirely different career path.
After having noticed that resources in this area were very limited, she published the book Déjouer les allergies alimentaires [Outsmarting food allergies] in 2002. With nothing like it in Quebec, her book became a best-seller almost overnight.
Marie-Josée Bettez has made it her mission to equip and help people affected by allergies.
She has published two other books on this topic, disseminated information on various digital platforms, organized conferences, webinars and training, created educational videos and a virtual support group. This group has over 8,000 members, mostly women.
Marie-Josée Bettez also worked on key documents for people with allergies. As well, she was part of an expert panel at the Hôpital Sainte-Justine to establish an oral immunotherapy clinic and drafted, for the association Allergies Québec, a proposed memorandum to protect students at risk for anaphylaxis. She was also on the scientific and advisory panel created by the Musée Armand-Frappier to develop an exhibit on allergies.
In 2020, she transformed the Déjouer les allergies community into a not-for-profit organization with a strong and committed board of directors, as well as a scientific panel made up of high-level specialists.
Today, Déjouer les allergies is an essential reference on how to live better with food allergies and a resource that is recommended by many health professionals. As for its founder and executive director, she is recognized as a pioneer in the field. Marie-Josée Bettez inspires, stimulates and brings out the best in us: courage, generosity, and solidarity.
