For people living with celiac disease, there is only one treatment: a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Our West Campus Gastrointestinal and Nutrition team participated in a five-day gluten-free challenge to better understand the daily challenges faced by our celiac patients.
“Celiac Awareness Month was the perfect opportunity to better understand our patients’ experiences,” Celiac Program Coordinator and Challenge Lead Elly Tran said. “Watching our team bond and embrace the experience so thoroughly exceeded all expectations. This is just the beginning. I can’t wait to make this an annual event and bring other departments into the challenge next year!”
After completing the challenge, the team shared feedback in a survey. Their survey responses revealed some of the daily challenges that come with living gluten-free.
“I am much more aware of eating out in public now, and how it can be very annoying to speak up and ask for celiac-friendly meals, especially in social settings,” one team member said. “This challenge made me realize it was a lot harder than I thought, and I deeply sympathize with our patients and the struggles they encounter daily.”
In the survey, team members also noted the cost of maintaining a gluten-free diet. “The prices for gluten-free items are notably higher than gluten-containing items,” one team member said. “This really opened my eyes to the financial strain on families who have to stay strictly gluten-free just to keep their children healthy.”
We are proud of our West Campus Gastrointestinal and Nutrition team for stepping into their patients’ shoes and gaining a deeper understanding of what it takes to live with celiac disease every day, which will continue to inform how the team supports patients and families.
