Awareness Week, 11–17 May

While awareness of coeliac disease and the gluten-free diet is growing, there is still low awareness of the symptoms and how they affect people differently before diagnosis.

We believe people may also be potentially linking their symptoms to other conditions or not treating them seriously enough to seek further help. Creating a stronger link between their symptoms and coeliac disease will help people become more informed, empowered and confident to have their symptoms investigated and seek a diagnosis.

We also know we have a job to do in helping to improve awareness of coeliac disease among healthcare professionals. Getting this right will help us to reduce the time it takes to get a diagnosis and tackle misdiagnosis of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

These issues will guide the activities of our diagnosis campaign, which kicks off during Awareness Week, and aims to reach the half a million people currently living with undiagnosed coeliac disease in the UK.

For the first time, we will be using advertising to reach this broad, and difficult to reach, segment of the population. The advertising campaign will stretch across websites, social media and regional radio, and support our own PR efforts.

Find out more on our diagnosis campaign.

How you can help

We really need your help to promote the diagnosis message, not just during Awareness Week, but throughout the two year campaign. You can help by:

• talking to your local pharmacy and healthcare professional, and leaving them a campaign pack (an order form will be in the Awareness Week packs). We are distributing posters and leaflets to GP surgeries and this will complement this activity
• holding a stall
• hosting a quiz night for family and friends
• getting active on social media
• taking part in our Awareness Week Walks.

More information and how to get involved with these activities will be in the Awareness Week packs. Order yours now. 

For journalists with press queries relating to Coeliac UK’s Awareness Week 2015, please contact Kate Newman on 07952 071014 / 01494 796739 kate.newman@coeliac.org.uk.

For anything else please contact awarenessweek@coeliac.org.uk.

Hear from our Patron, Caroline Quentin

Watch our videos to support Awareness Week and our Is it coeliac disease? diagnosis campaign