<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> New organization supports celiac disease research & education Ellen Mechanic-Schlossmann, the mother of a child with celiac disease, is thrilled to announce the establishment Friends of Celiac Disease Research, Inc. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Friends of Celiac Research is a non-profit charitable corporation devoted to assisting people with celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (CD/DH), primarily by supporting the efforts in research and education of celiac disease. Friends of Celiac Disease Research is working with the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research to launch a nationwide public service and awareness campaign. Its first collaborative effort to increase awareness of celiac disease is to distribute a public service announcement for television featuring Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon and his three-year-old daughter Danielle, who was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998. Friends of Celiac Disease Research is helping to fund the awareness campaign and paid for the production of the PSA. Gannon is now the national spokesperson for celiac disease. He kicked off the campaign on July 6, 2000 with a press conference at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Please watch for news reports and let us know what you hear. Friends of Celiac Disease Research, Inc. was founded in 1999 by the parents of Benjamin Schlossmann, Ellen Mechanic-Schlossmann and Michael Schlossmann. Benjamin began experiencing digestive problems shortly after foods containing gluten were added to his diet in infancy. He was tested extensively for various ailments but his celiac disease was not diagnosed until he was 3 1/2 years old. Proper diagnosis and aid from the local support group has enabled Benjamin's family to watch him grow into the energetic youth he is today. The absence of information, education and research on celiac disease delayed Benjamin's diagnosis and continues to do the same for others. It is through Friends of Celiac Disease Research that the Mechanic and Schlossmann families hope to aid in celiac disease education and research, and improve the lives of people with celiac disease. If you would like further information regarding Friends of Celiac Disease Research, including how to become a volunteer, dates of upcoming fundraising events, or to make a donation, please contact us. CONTACT INFORMATION: Ellen Mechanic-Schlossmann, Founder & President Dana Tehako-Esser, Executive Director 8832 North Port Washington Road #204 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217 Phone: 414.540.6679 Facsimile: 414.352.1734 E-mail: [log in to unmask]