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Letter from Alice: You’re at the Heart of What We Do
When I founded Beyond Celiac in 2003, I did so with one, overarching goal in mind: to help celiac disease patients live healthier lives, longer.
In the early days of Beyond Celiac, my focus was reaching people where they were; in 2003, few people knew what a gluten-free diet was, let alone had heard the word, “gluten.” So, I listened when patients lamented about feeling isolated, I witnessed how misunderstood this condition was in both medical spaces and the general public, and I reflected on my personal struggle to get diagnosed. To this end, I organized a support group, hosted gluten-free events, and created resources, including this very newsletter that you’re reading today.
But as I continued to listen to the concerns of the community, my focus shifted from moral support and individualized education to a more daunting task: expanding access to safe gluten-free food.
To achieve this, we spent countless hours working with Wal-Mart and many other grocery stores, campaigning for the nationwide chains to sell gluten-free foods; collaborated with Anheuser-Busch to develop gluten-free beer; and partnered with diagnostic companies and increased testing for celiac disease by 40%, as well as increased diagnosis from 3% to 20% of the 1% of the population that has celiac. It was around this time that the gluten-free diet really began entering the public’s sphere of knowledge, and I am proud to have been a trailblazer in that effort.
Since then, Beyond Celiac has grown into a nonprofit to be reckoned with, and our focus has shifted to our most ambitious goal yet: a treatment for celiac disease by 2030.
No matter how delicious modern gluten-free food is, the gluten-free diet is still not enough for at least a third of our patient community. Even those that do heal on the gluten-free diet still feel restricted by this medically-necessary diet. Not only do we deserve better, we need better. And just like previous goals, I won’t stop until we achieve it.
But throughout all my years as CEO of Beyond Celiac, one thing has never changed: you’re at
the heart of everything we do. This organization and all that we have accomplished truly would
not exist without your love and support. So this February, please accept our gluten-free
affection, and, if you’re as excited about our work as we are, donate at cure4u.funraise.org so we can
continue to work toward a cure for you.
With gratitude,
Alice Bast, CEO
This dip is the perfect dish to bring to any Super Bowl party! Have it with crackers, chips, or celery sticks, if you’re looking to eat more vegetables. Make sure to set aside some for yourself—whatever you bring will be gone by the end of the night!
Egg rolls are a staple of American-Chinese food. This recipe provides a gluten-free alternative to the traditional wheat flour wrap, but doesn’t sacrifice any of the taste!
This recipe was provided courtesy of our friends at the Gluten-Free Palate.