The national organization Celiac Sprue Association (now entering it's 4th decade of existence with over 10,000 members and 125 local support groups) has a ton of information about what you can do to help raise awareness this month. Please see the following Web site for more information.
From the Web site...
You can also find a packet on this Web site which is designed to help you plan and execute one or more awareness activities. Here is a link to the packet itself which has a seemingly endless amount of ideas to help raise awareness. I have also added the packet to the Useful Resources sidebar on the right hand part of this page. I encourage you to participate in a few activities throughout October. I will be doing as many of the activities as I can fit in and will be writing about them as the month progresses.If you, or someone you know, is dealing with Celiac disease and would like to do something to help "get the word out," Celiac Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity. The list of things you could do is endless. Here are some things you might try:
- Join CSA
- Share something positive about the disease and the diet with a new person.
- Have a conversation with the manager of your local grocery store, explaining the importance of the availability of gluten-free options.
- Visit with clergy regarding the definition for a strict gluten-free diet and the ramifications of that for communicant members.
- Give a program to an organization about what Celiac disease is and how it is handled, both at home and away.
- Request that CSA send brochures to doctors and dietitians in your area.
- Buy a CSA membership for a family member, health care professional or your local library, guaranteeing that CSA's quarterly newsletter, Lifeline, is available to others.
- Encourage local chapter members to join the national CSA organization.
- Contact the CSA office with your ideas and successes. CSA is continually looking for more ways to help the Celiac community.
The CSA sums this all up pretty well with the phrase "Celiacs helping Celiacs". Let's see how we can help during October!
2 comments:
Except its NOT Awareness Month
All the Celiac Research Centers, major medical organizations, other celiac organizations (except CSA) recognize May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. EVEN Canada has moved its awareness to May (beginning in 2009)
They chose May to coincide with other medical conditions related to celiac disease that are observed in May, like:
Digestive Diseases Awareness Month
Digestive Diseases Week
Food Allergy Awareness Month
Food Allergy Week
National Arthritis Month
National Eosinophil Awareness Week
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
Women's Health Week and Women's Health Check-up day
Organizations, Research Centers, and Companies supporting the May observance include:
American Celiac Disease Alliance
American College of Gastroenterology
American Dietetic Association
American Gastroenterology Association
American Osteopathic Association
Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University
Celiac Disease Foundation
Gluten Intolerance Group
National Foundation for Celiac Awareness
University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program
University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research
Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group
Wm. K. Warren Celiac Disease Research Center UC San Diego
123 Glutenfree
Alba Therapeutics Corporation
Aline Medical
Allergy Grocer
Alvine Pharmaceuticals
Amazing Grains LLC
Andean Dream
Arico Foods
Authentic Foods
Bakery on Main
Bard’s Beer
Barry Rosenthal Studio
Bob & Ruth's Gluten-Free Dining & Travel Club
Brookfarm
Cali Fine Foods
Candle Café
Candle 79
Case Nutritional Consulting
Cecelia’s Marketplace
Celinal Foods
Cerrone Cone, Inc.
Collins Trucking
Emerson's Restaurant
Endangered Species Chocolate Company
Ener-G Foods, Inc.
Enjoy Life Brands™
Farm Pure Foods
Food-Tek
Foods by George
French Meadow Bakery
Gifts of Nature
GlutenEvolution
Glutenfreeda Foods
Gluten Free Cooking Spree
Gluten Free Gourmet Solutions LLC
Gluten Free Kneads
Gluten-Free Living
Gluten Free Mama
GlutenFree Oats
GlutenFree Passport®
Glutino Foods
Great Northern Growers Cooperative
Green’s Beer
honestly speaking
Island Ice Cream and More
Jackson & Wheeler Restaurant
KC Medical Management
Kinnickinnick Foods
Kimball Genetics
La Tortilla Company
Lettuce in Love, Inc
LilliandLoo
Living Without
Miguel's Products
Namaste Foods
Nana’s Cookie Company
National Sorghum Producers
Nature's Chemistry LLC
Nearly Normal Cooking
Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology,
Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN)
Pamela's Products
Pioneer Nutritional Formulas
Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.
Rafferty’s Restaurant
Risoterria Restaurant and Bakery
San-J International, Inc.
Savory Palate
Shire Pharmaceuticals
Silly-yak Shirts
Stonyfield Farm
Sylvan Border Farms
Tastes Like Real Food
Tricia Thompson, MS, RD
Tuttoriso Ristorante e Cafe
Vivi's Original Sauce
well if Canada does it in May then it must be May... all kidding aside, in my opinion every month should be Celiac Disease Awareness Month due to the difficulty of being Gluten Free.
I will gladly go through all of this again in May.
The point of my post was to show the awareness packet and all the great ideas the CSA has in there to raise awareness.
Is it really that big of a deal to you that the CSA does it differently? Isn't the point to raise awareness no matter what? I am a bit confused by your comment.
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