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

Dear List mates,
I had never done a summary before and it appears I should have recapped
the content of the article not just the responses I received.  So sorry!

On page 87 of the September issue of  Oprah magazine is a column by the
Satellite Sisters that is featured monthly.  These are five sisters who
also have a radio show.  In the column they make up a scenario and then
have each sister comment upon it.  This month the scenario was titled,
"Sorry, but I Think I'm Sick That Day" and the question to be answered
was, "How do you respond to unwanted overtures?"   They then listed some
unwanted overtures including..."The neighbor with gluten-free children is
itching to join your mothers' group.  Your dull office mate is eager for
a girls night out."

I have received a few more comments from list mates and some more copies
of the great letters they have written.  Your wonderful letters have me
cheering in my chair!  You all are the best.  Again, Thank  You!

Many list mates have reported getting a response from the Satellite
Sisters.  Although they are similar in content, they are not identical
and are personalized to what the individual had written.  I find that
encouraging.  However, my response from them yesterday was a blank
e-mail.  I sent it back to them with this note:  "This is the message I
received from you.  It is blank.  Maybe this is what was on your mind
when you wrote the Oprah column this month.  :) "

One list mate forwarded her favorite medical articles on celiac to the
Satellite Sisters.... ( http://www.aafp.org/afp/20021215/2259.html &
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980301ap/pruessn.html ) along with a link to the
NIH (http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/celiac/index.htm) and a
.pdf file of the U/M prevalence study.  I'm sure this will help when they
do their upcoming show on celiac disease.

Their e-mail is [log in to unmask]


     and to the  Oprah Editors ([log in to unmask]) from another
list mate...

"AFTER YEARS OF ADMIRING OPRAH WINFREY FOR HER POSITIVE AND INFORMATIVE
PROGRAMMING IN THE FACE OF HER INCREASINGLY NEGATIVE COMPETITION I CANNOT
BELIEVE HER MAGAZINE HAS PRODUCED SOMETHING SO OFFENSIVE AS TO FINALLY
GET ME WRITING!

It would be pointless to enumerate the reasons any child with special
needs, dietary or otherwise, should be welcome in a play group.  I say
"pointless" because I am sure the item was reviewed by a number of
writers, editors and proofreaders before going to print and obviously
none of them found it disturbing.  If your staff is so filled with people
who found the item acceptable, no comments of mine could change their
narrow view of the world.  (I certainly hope that when they want to join
a play group, they and their children are deemed "acceptable"...
*Mother of an 11 year old celiac daughter who has been a member of too
many school, civic, athletic, scouting, and church groups to list (none
of which has ever rejected her based on her diet.)"

No one has reported receiving a response from Hearst magazines or Oprah,
but I received 3 automatic out-of-office responses the first day I
e-mailed them, and I just received 3 new and different ones today from 3
additional people.  This leads me to believe that the e-mail is being
reviewed and bounced around the company to many different people/titles.
One out-of-office reply was a law firm and one was from a Gonzaga.edu
address.

You all have made my weekend happy!

Linda
Aunt to Sarah and Rachel

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*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*