We are making progress. I freely admit to you, however, that it isn’t enough. We are not satisfied, but please know that we are in this for the long haul. My hope is that you will stand with us by supporting CDF’s Annual Fund with a tax-deductible contribution.
For 25 years, CDF has been the leading patient advocacy group for celiac disease:
- In 1999, CDF-funded research led to a simple blood test for celiac disease.
- In 2004, CDF and the medical community successfully secured from the National Institutes of Health formal recognition of celiac disease as a common and greatly underdiagnosed disease.
- In 2014, as a result of the concerted effort by CDF and our colleagues, not only are gluten-free foods now available in virtually every supermarket in America, but also, foods labeled “gluten-free” must now meet strict federal guidelines per the new FDA Labeling Law.
Where we must do more – and where we are doing more – is in our outreach to raise awareness about the disease. Incredibly, even today, only 1 person in 6 with celiac disease has been diagnosed.
A focus for us during 2015 is to raise the celiac disease profile among key decision-makers in Washington, D.C. CDF Medical Advisory Board members will be testifying at GREAT3, an important FDA conference, later this month to set benchmarks and endpoints for exciting new research into celiac treatments. I personally will be testifying at a follow-up conference as an advocate for caregivers. In mid-April, I will be returning again to Washington as I have been invited to participate in an introductory meeting with Dr. Susan Mayne, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We are also expanding our outreach to health care providers, health care consumers, food manufacturers, the pharmaceutical industry, and the media. Our goal is straightforward – decrease the number of undiagnosed and help put an end to the needless suffering.
None of this work is possible, however, without the generosity of committed individuals like you. I need you. Our goal is to raise $50,000 over the next several days. Please support CDF’s efforts by making a tax-deductible Annual Fund contribution of $50 or more.
Thank you.
To Our Health,
Marilyn G. Geller, Chief Executive Officer