<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Dear listmates:
 
I'm reading a lot of good ideas lately, but I think we must get
organized! If we can write down our directives we can do things better.
 
I do believe we must create public awareness and teach what CD means. I
think people take it lightly when hearing the word "allergy". They need
to know the following to take it seriously:
 
"Celiac Sprue is more than an allergy; gluten provokes an immune
response that causes PHYSICAL DAMAGE to the villi and microvilli of the
intestines... these get destroyed and this is a serious situation. When
was the last time an allergy to pollen made your nose fall off? Never.
(How about loosing your arm or your sight for a week or more?). For some
of us, it is difficult to regrow our villi easily. Furthermore, frequent
challenges with gluten through life may onset lymphoma, in some cases."
Sounds serious enough? We all know it is.
 
My list of what we should do, first draft, subject to revisions by the
list. Our goal is to save time here, for "us" (CD's) and "them" (the
unaware world).
 
1. Airline food: How about writing down a template standard letter (with
some blanks for filling in our names, etc) and posting it on the list.
Whenever we fly, we make x copies and distribute like flyers....we can
include a line that says "I will recommend your airline to my celiac
friends (about a 1000 of them) because I found the meals appropiate."
(If they apply). Business incentive!
 
2. FDA issue: Lets get an address, post a draft letter on the list, make
a good version of it, and lets all send it in to the address (normal
mail for sure, email optional). We can include a fill in blank line that
demonstrates personal support.
 
3. Stand up for your rights!: As an educated society, we must treat
other people with the respect they deserve. Would you ask to a diabetic
to eat your frosted cake? Would you say to a stutterer "speak clear, I
don't have all day!"? Why should it be different for us? I think it
happens mainly because they just don't know about CD. (I think the word
just is ok here).
 
4. The Bills: Same here. I read about two bills that were bad for us?
How about a straight 1 paragraph explanation of the bills - if
possible- an address to complain to, and a standard issue
"complaint-help us" letter made by the list....
 
I think we can do this. We all have jobs, and thing to take care of, but
by working together, it will be easier. I'm not good writing letters so,
I'm asking for the people with good writing skills to rise.
 
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1996~~
5' J A V I E R   A L Z E R R E C A       ====---------- -----------====
   | | | | | |   | |   | | | | | |            [log in to unmask]
   A C E R R E Z L A   R E I V A J  5'   ====---------- -----------====