Hi!! My name is Sophia Pellegrino, and I’m from Pennington, New Jersey. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in November of 2025, during the beginning of my junior year in high school.
Leading up to my diagnosis, I was dealing with many symptoms of celiac disease, such as stomach pain, bloating, and headaches, to name a few. After bloodwork and an endoscopy, I was officially diagnosed with celiac disease and have been gluten-free ever since! A few months after my diagnosis, I still wasn’t feeling my best, so I also went dairy-free. This helped significantly, as my body was still recovering and was having a hard time processing dairy. In the future, however, I hope to reintroduce dairy once I heal from the gluten damage.
Transitioning to the gluten-free diet was challenging at first, especially considering that no one in my family had any food restrictions prior to my diagnosis. In addition, my family eats a lot of traditional Italian foods, many of which contain gluten. Despite this, with the correct research and lots of trial and error, I was able to find snacks that I enjoyed, as well as gluten-free recipes for my favorite foods! Furthermore, I run cross-country and track, and my team often meets up prior to races to have “pasta parties.” After my diagnosis, I was anxious about attending, as I would not be able to eat any of the food served; however, my teammates were very supportive of me bringing my own gluten-free meal that I could enjoy while still spending time with the team.
After my diagnosis, I realized how expensive and difficult it can be to eat fully gluten-free. This inspired me to become involved with a local restaurant’s food pantry. I have baked every other week to support the pantry in supplying gluten-free individuals with desserts to go with their meals. I hope to further my impact on my community by working with a larger food pantry in the area to hold gluten-free food drives, as well as provide greater information about celiac disease to my community. As a Beyond Celiac Ambassador, I hope to make an impact on larger communities by advocating for and supporting others who may be struggling to adjust to having celiac disease or to maintain a gluten-free diet.