How to Request a Celiac Disease Awareness Day Proclamation

On behalf of the 1 in 100 people suffering from celiac disease, I am writing to request that a proclamation be issued this year for CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS DAY, May 16, 2024.

Celiac Disease is a serious, genetic autoimmune disorder affecting 1-2% of people worldwide, and over 3 million Americans, 70-80% of whom are undiagnosed. For people with celiac disease, eating gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley) causes the immune system to create antibodies that attack the small intestine. Villi, small finger-like projections that line the small intestine, atrophy and eventually flatten, causing them to lose the ability to absorb nutrients.

Celiac disease can lead to many other devastating health conditions, including a 6x increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a 3.1x increased risk of liver disease, and a 4x increased risk of small bowel cancer.

Celiac disease results in extraordinary economic and productivity costs to both the public and private sectors from employee and student absenteeism, with an average of 23 missed days of work/school annually due to celiac-related illness, as well as repeated, inconclusive visits to healthcare providers.

There is no medication or cure for celiac disease. The only current treatment is a lifelong, strict gluten-free diet. Studies show that up to 50% of people on a gluten-free diet continue to experience symptoms and have intestinal damage, revealing the ineffectiveness of the gluten-free diet as a treatment.

With your support in declaring CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS DAY, we can continue to increase public awareness of the serious nature of celiac disease. It is our objective to help advance government support to develop diagnostic tools, life-improving treatments, and a cure for celiac disease.

Please find below a draft of a proposed Proclamation for CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS DAY for the May 16, 2024 to help build recognition and support for individuals and families managing celiac disease. You may send the proclamation to [email protected].

On behalf of all those affected by this life-altering disease, thank you for your consideration and support.

CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS DAY PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, celiac disease is one of the world’s most prevalent genetic autoimmune diseases, affecting an estimated three million Americans, 70-80% of whom are undiagnosed; and

WHEREAS, celiac disease causes the body to attack its own small intestine, which can lead to many other devastating health conditions, including cancer; and

WHEREAS, celiac disease results in extraordinary economic and productivity costs to both the public and private sectors from employee and student absenteeism, as well as repeated, inconclusive visits to healthcare providers; and

WHEREAS, on average, it takes 4 years to be correctly diagnosed with celiac disease; and

WHEREAS, there is no medication or cure for celiac disease—the only treatment is a lifelong, strict gluten-free diet; and

WHEREAS, studies show that up to 50% of people on a gluten-free diet continue to experience symptoms and have intestinal damage, revealing the ineffectiveness of the gluten-free diet as a treatment; and

WHEREAS, the Celiac Disease Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and health of individuals with celiac disease by advancing government support for biomedical research to develop diagnostic tools, life-improving treatments, and a cure for celiac disease, and to raise public awareness of this serious disease;

I, ________, GOVERNOR for the _________________, do hereby proclaim May 16, 2024: Celiac Disease Awareness Day in the _______________________ and encourage the residents of _______________________ to increase their understanding and awareness of celiac disease.

The Celiac Disease Foundation, established in 1990, is a leading global patient advocacy organization committed to accelerating diagnosis, treatments, and a cure for celiac disease. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the millions of individuals around the world affected by this genetic autoimmune disease through our strategic investments in research, advocacy, and education. Our iCureCeliac® patient registry and extensive patient recruitment services enable us to identify qualified patient candidates and speed their enrollment to advance critical disease research. Our unparalleled advocacy program has led the way to secure federal recognition and first-ever research funding from agencies including the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. We adhere to the highest scientific and ethical standards as we work each day to promote understanding of celiac disease, empower our patient and provider community, and collaborate with partners and stakeholders to carry our mission forward.