In 2006, we celebrated our 10th Anniversary at the Center For Celiac Research (CFCR) and this spring,
we will be celebrating the 6th Anniversary of the International Walk/Run for Celiac Disease. When we
started CFCR in 1996, very little was known about Celiac Disease (CD) in the US, and as a result, the
estimated prevalence was a meager 1 out of 10,000 people. The quality of life for celiac patients was
very limited and CD awareness among health care professionals and the public was minimal. Let’s
fast-forward 10 years and review some of our accomplishments:
1996 – 2006: WHAT A DECADE!
- Dramatically improved the quality of life for celiac patients by increasing the awareness of CD
among health care professionals and the public. - Created a sharp increase in the awareness of CD by working with media outlets and
organizations. Examples include: The Today Show, The Washington Post (front-page article on
CD), and the Wall Street Journal. - In collaboration with the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and
Nutrition, we published guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of children with CD. - Together with the Children’s Digestive Health & Nutrition Foundation, we produced a physician
slide set, a nationwide grand rounds program, and a gluten-free diet guide for families. All are
available online at www.celiachealth.org. - Spearheaded the largest epidemiology study ever performed in the US, resulting in more
accurate prevalence data: instead of only 1 out 10,000, we now know the prevalence is 1 out of
133. - Developed a diagnostic test (Ttg) for CD, which is implemented nationwide for diagnosing CD.
- Discovered Zonulin, a protein that appears to be involved in many disease states with leakage
in the tight junctions including the GI tract. This plays an important role in the treatment of CD. - Partnered with Alba Therapeutics to accelerate our goal to find an alternative treatment/cure for
CD. - Developed new insights on CD pathogenesis.
- Completed a case-finding study involving a network of 50 primary physicians that enrolled more
than 2,000 patients. - Spearheaded the American Celiac Disease Alliance, formally American Celiac Task Force –
that resulted in Congress passing a new food allergen labeling law, making it easier for
patients with CD to identify safe food items. - The Celiac Consensus was launched with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) because of
our prevalence study. - Created a CD Fellowship Program to train the next generation of health care professionals in
CD. - Created the International Walk/Run for CD, raising over one million dollars for national and local
celiac programs and research. - Created a celiac awareness bracelet to increase the awareness of celiac disease. CFCR has
distributed more than 36,000 Making Tracks for Celiacs bracelets worldwide. - Dr. Robert Anderson joined CFCR to research development of a vaccine for celiac disease.
- In May 2006, celebrated the 10th anniversary of CFCR as the oldest celiac center in the United
States. CFCR is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary program covering clinical care for
adults and children, support services, education and state-of-the-art scientific research
laboratories. - For 2006, Dr. Fasano was named the University of Maryland’s first Entrepreneur of the Year for
his research on CD. - Conducted a research study to establish a safe threshold of gluten consumption for those with
celiac disease. The study concludes celiacs can safely tolerate up to 20 parts per million (ppm)
of gluten a day. This was recently published by the FDA and in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.
OUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
- Implement the diagnostic tools necessary to eliminate the intestinal biopsy for confirmation of
CD. - Find an alternative treatment/cure for celiac disease.
- Clone the Zonulin gene.
- Investigate the genetics of CD.
- Continue to increase awareness of CD among health care professionals, government
agencies, and public. - Examine the psychological impact of CD on the newly diagnosed patient and his/her family.
- Continue working with Congress on the Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act and
collaborate with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in implementing the labeling law.
We are excited about our accomplishments over the past decade and look forward to meeting and
exceeding our goals for the next decade. Your support of our efforts is important to CFCR’s success
and is crucial to our competitive edge. It allows us to accelerate our goal of finding an alternative
treatment/cure for CD, expand our reputation as the premier Center in the world, and continue to
improve the quality of life for all patients with CD.
This has been a very exciting decade for the celiac community and we would like to thank all of our
supporters. We value your generosity, commitment and friendship. As we move forward in developing
an alternative treatment/cure for celiac disease, we continue to need your financial support.
Remember, we are not asking you to just contribute but to make an investment in the well being of
every patient – now and in the future.
Sincerely,
Alessio Fasano, MD Pam King
Medical Director Director of Operations
2007 The Queen City's 1st Walk for Celiac Disease: Click Here!
2006 Walk/Run Home Page: Click Here!
2006 TCCSG (Michigan) Walk/Run Photo Gallery: Click Here!
Check Donation Form: Click Here!
| Annual InternationalWalk/Run for Celiac Disease |
Making Tracks for Celiacs...
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Charlotte, NC
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