Last May, Max Renke, a 15 year old celiac and celiac advocate, met with New Hampshire’s Governor Lynch to discuss raising awareness of celiac disease along with education about the disease and the gluten-free diet. The topics of discussion included providing gluten-free school lunches as well as establishing May as New Hampshire Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Max outlined his goals to the Governor which included setting up an informative afternoon for the community with vendors providing a taste of gluten-free foods. Max also hopes to work with Pediatricians and other specialists at the primary care level to increase the awareness and knowledge of celiac disease and the importance of the gluten-free diet. Max’s younger brother, Jake, 13 years old, is also working with Jake to help make these goals a reality.
This isn’t the first time that Max has been in the news. When he and his brother Jake were diagnosed, they started a “show and tell” program at their school, which they held each year in Londonderry, N. H. With their father’s help, the boys designed a website (www.thatkidscompany.com) and formed the “I can’t eat THAT club.”
CDF, along with Team gluten-free™, a project of Celiac Disease Foundation, is pleased to support Max and Jake in their endeavors, which included sending them to gluten-free summer camp! Keep up the great work!