<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

i'm a journalist who's on the list. i'm trying to get a feature writer at my
paper, the press of atlantic city, to do something on celiac sprue. (i cover
courts, legal affairs, criminals and lawsuits and probably don't have the
time to do it, but if the features reporter doesn't do it, i will.)

there was a great story in the philly inquirer several months ago about a
woman who wrote a whole foods cookbook after having cancer. that writer would
be good to target, but unfortunately, i don't know who it was. i may have
saved the article and if i did, i will contact that person.

i'll also suggest it to my sister, orla swift, at the news & observer in
raleigh, nc, and any other reporters i can think of.

actually, what listers should do is copy the press releases from the website
(was it the csa site?), and e-mail them or fax them to local newspapers'
feature depts. (e-mail addresses and fax numbers are usually listed in the
front or local section of your paper. if not, just call and ask for the
features editors' e-mail address or fax number. or if there's a food reporter
or someone who specializes in health, target that person.)

if you can personalize the faxes or e-mails by giving the reporter a few
names of people in the paper's circulation area with celiac disease, or a
local support group, that should do the trick. point out that health food
stores carry gluten-free items, so they might be good to quote in stories. or
if your doctor is an expert, tell the reporter the doctor's name. there's
nothing like handing a reporter a story on a silver platter to get things
done. often, feature writers have deadlines and need story ideas. good
anecdotes, like a baby who nearly didn't survive, or a mysterious illness
doctors couldn't diagnose, will often hook a reporter. also add some
websites, listservs, message boards on celiac sprue, or even your story, if
it's interesting, and you should have no trouble getting the news into the
paper.

follow up the fax or e-mail with a phone call to the features editor or
reporter. you might see that one writer in the features section or food
section would be good for your project. send it to that person. make sure you
give your number or the support group's number with the information you send.
background info on the disease and anything else to educate the reporter
would be helpful. we often have to become experts quickly on things we write
about, so any spoon feeding of info you can offer will be helpful to the
reporter who will end up doing the story. if you mail something, put together
everything you can (maybe put it in a folder). direct the reporter to the
website showing photos of dh. a list of websites also would be handy for a
reporter to write a sidebar to the main story.

remember, the more information you put together, the more likely the story
will get done. if they're not interested for some reason, you could write a
personal column. lots of papers run those.

don't forget alternative papers and weeklies. or magazines in your area, if
they run that type of story.

good luck,

aisling (ash-ling), ocean city, nj