National Celiac Awareness Day

Today is National Celiac Awareness day, a day designated to help bring awareness to Celiac Disease, the auto-immune condition that is associated with the protein gluten.  According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 141 people in the United States have Celiac Disease.  This day was chosen as National Celiac Awareness Day to honor the birthday of Samuel Gee, MD, the British physician and pediatrician who published the first modern description of the clinical picture of Celiac Disease.  His publication was credited with being the first to identify the link between Celiac Disease and the foods we eat.  This year is Dr. Gee’s 174^th birthday!

There are many ways to bring awareness to Celiac Disease and to celebrate the day.  If you yourself have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and you have a story to tell about how long it took you to be diagnosed or how it has changed your life, contact the national office, toll-free, at 877-CSA-4-CSA to share your story and become a part of “My Story” on the CSA website.  You can also set up a display at a local fair or library to bring awareness to Celiac disease or contact your local supermarket managers for permission to display literature and speak to customers.

A great way to raise awareness, and also raise money for Celiac disease, is through fundraisers.  Entertain friends and family with gluten-free meals and ask for donations to the CSA chapter.  Get your community together with a sponsored bike ride, walk or run to raise money and get fit while doing it!   If you want to celebrate with close family and friends, hold a party with gluten-free cakes and treats.  Make Celiac Awareness Day even more exciting by having a gluten-free baking contest!

If you or someone you know has Celiac disease, use this day to reach out to your community and raise awareness to a disease that is becoming more and more prevalent among people all over the world.

Your turn to take action: How will you raise awareness and celebrate National Celiac Awareness Day?

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