It was a surreal experience walking into the offices of my House and Senate representatives. When I talked to the staffers and explained to them the nature of celiac disease and how it affected my life, I could feel the difference I was making. The staffers are the people who report straight to your representatives in Congress, and discussing celiac disease with them can directly lead to changes in government policy. It was the first time that I felt I was making an actual difference in combating my condition. Not only that, I was combating a disease that affects nearly three million Americans.
The Celiac Disease Foundation Hill Day is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to attend. It doesn’t matter if you are very young. You have a say because your representatives are elected to serve you. Even though it seems scary to fly all the way to Washington D.C. to talk about something so personal to someone you don’t know, Hill Day is so much more enjoyable than people realize. As I learned, you don’t need to be a great speaker or a witty debater to make a difference; just sharing your story is a massive contribution on its own. More importantly, it’s hugely fulfilling to contribute to fighting celiac disease; the sense of accomplishment is real, and the pride you obtained doesn’t go away.
In addition to Hill Day, I found the advocacy summit to be simply incredible. For the first time in my life, I was in a room full of celiac disease patients and their families, and I got to talk to dozens of people about their experience with celiac disease and the ways they deal with it. The Celiac Disease Foundation team also procured some excellent gluten-free food, which is a reason to visit in its own right. Everyone should attend the advocacy summit to meet other people, enjoy good food, and make a difference that will mean so much to those with celiac disease.
How You Can Get Involved with Celiac Disease Advocacy
Your voice has the power to drive change. By joining the Celiac Disease Foundation’s advocacy efforts like Sanjith, you can help us push for critical research funding, improved gluten-free labeling, and greater federal recognition of celiac disease. Whether it’s participating in Hill Day, reaching out to your representatives, or sharing your story, every action makes a difference.
Take the next step—sign up as an advocate today and help us make celiac disease a national healthcare priority.