I didn't know Bev had it in her...

CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH

MAY 2011

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

 

WHEREAS, celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, is a genetic autoimmune disease that affects 1 in every 133 people in the United States; and
WHEREAS, research indicates that there are approximately 3 million people with celiac disease in the United States; of those, approximately 120,000 have been diagnosed; and WHEREAS, 1 in 22 first degree relatives of people with celiac disease may also be affected; and
WHEREAS, celiac disease may take an average of 11 years to be diagnosed after the initial onset of symptoms; and
WHEREAS, celiac disease affects equal percentages of men and women and may have severe and varied detrimental effects on the body; and
WHEREAS, people with celiac disease may have other autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus; and
WHEREAS, the only known treatment for celiac disease is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet; and
WHEREAS, children with celiac disease must adhere to their medically-prescribed diet while at school and during school-based activities; and
WHEREAS, the National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference on Celiac Disease held in 2004 found that consultation with a skilled dietitian and identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies were key elements in the management of celiac disease; and
WHEREAS, the consensus panel on celiac disease recommended the standardization of serologic tests and pathologic criteria for the diagnosis of celiac disease, the adoption of a standard definition of a gluten-free diet based on objective evidence such as that being developed by the American Dietetic Association, and the development of an adequate testing procedure to determine the amount of gluten in foods and of a definition of standards for gluten-free foods in the United States to lay the foundation for rational food labeling; and
WHEREAS, increased recognition and awareness of celiac disease will have a significant positive impact on the quality of life of people with celiac disease;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 2011, as “CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina and commend its observance to our citizens.
BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this fourteenth day of March in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.