Member stories - January 2011

You can find both of our winner's stories below or you can get involved yourself with this month's competition at http://www.coeliac.org.uk/memberstory for your chance to win great prizes.

Marie Newbold

My New Year’s resolution was to encourage my 4 year old daughter who has coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. to not just live off gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. fish fingers, which she would quite happily eat every day and so far we are doing well! She will now eat chicken casserole, pasta and glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. -free burgers. There is still not a great deal of variety out there for her, but we are doing more and more cooking together so we will get there. However, it breaks my heart when she points at all the yummy cakes at the baker’s counters in supermarkets, that’s very tough. 

 Marie wins a bumper healthy hamper from Hale & Hearty

Mandy Clinch

I was wrongly diagnosed with IBSIrritable bowel syndrome - a common but poorly understood chronic (long-term) condition where the normal functions of the bowel are disrupted for eleven years and finally received my endoscopyAn investigation that looks inside your gut. The endoscope is a thin flexible tube that you swallow. It has a light and a camera and is passed via the mouth and into the upper part of the gut that is affected in coeliac disease. results on 23rd December 2011. It confirmed that the blood tests were correct and I was officially diagnosed with coeliac disease. At the time I was devastated. I was told to start the diet that day but couldn't process the information. I researched online and found Coeliac UK and their help and support enabled me to start the New Year fresh and gluten-free. It is still early days and it isn’t easy but I am sure I will get there. I am hoping to run my charity 10k's in the summer now instead of walk because I am hoping to feel great. Here's to the new healthy me!

 Mandy wins a pack of cheese, tomato and red onion Little Savoury Tarts courtesy of Honeybuns