Getting Diagnosed
I remember it was eighth grade. All my friends and I were playing football together, but as the game continued we got hungry. No harm in that! We got sandwiches, and I had one. Twenty minutes later, I was running home to my parents. Crying and trying to make it back.
I couldn’t take it anymore. For sixteen years, my body rejected my food. For sixteen years, I looked for the nearest bathroom. For sixteen years, I lived with celiac disease without diagnosis.
What I Want to Accomplish with Beyond Celiac
Living with celiac disease without a diagnosis is tough, but to also be low-income or homeless adds to the difficulty of life. Celiac disease is treatable with a gluten-free diet, but gluten-free food can be incredibly expensive. It makes no sense that somebody should have to worry about their food intake or bathroom necessities.
Gluten-free food is also harder to come by. Families and individuals living in low-income areas or food deserts have little access to gluten-free food.
I’d like to alleviate stress among these people by making it easier for them to get gluten-free food. I cannot wait to help others get healthier.
