One Month from Today: Celiac Sprue Association Conference

I am excited, flattered, and humbled to announce that one month from today I will be speaking at the 35th Annual Celiac Sprue Association National Conference in Hauppauge, New York. The Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) is the largest non-profit celiac support group in America, with chapters and resource units across the country, and members worldwide.

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 1981, my parents did not know where to turn for help. It was the CSA that first helped them navigate this new gluten-free world more than thirty years ago. At that time, there was only a quarterly paper newsletter that was mailed to our house each Quarter. As I learned to read, I was excited to learn that others in the country were also living with this "rare" disease. I did not meet another person with Celiac Disease until I was about 12 or 13 years old. Talk about isolation!

The 35th Annual Celiac Sprue Association National Conference is a three-day conference with a "Charting the Course" of Celiac theme. The CSA "invites presenters from a broad spectrum of disciplines to share their expertise related to celiac disease and gluten-induced sensitivity. Researchers, healthcare professionals, dietitians, authors, chefs, restaurant owners, and gluten-­free food vendors from across the United States attend to network with individuals with celiac disease and those living gluten-free."

I am participating in the conference as a social media expert in a panel called "Exploring Social Media, Blogs, and You Tube" to discuss blogging and social media in the in gluten-free community. Our session is on Saturday, October 6th at 4pm and admission to the panel is part of your conference registration.

To say I am excited to participate in a panel that focuses on my passion and my life for an organization that taught me about Celiac Disease from a very early age is an understatement. This is a moment where I really feel that my Celiac life and dedication to spreading awareness is coming full circle.

I will be posting additional conference information over the next few weeks including bios on my co-panelists, our moderator, and the Celiac Sprue Association. For more information today, including conference registration and hotel information, please visit the CSA conference webpage.