Hi Ellen!

I wanted to go to the meeting but there’s no way I can make it. However, if I could have gone, these are the things I would have mentioned:

To start and most importantly I think the CCA is a very necessary organization, and I support everything they already do to help their members. The Victoria chapter especially is active and inspiring. I have truly enjoyed working with members, who are kind, dynamic, and energetic people. The following ideas are not at all criticisms. They are just ideas for conversation.

My understanding is that ultimately, the goal of the CCA should be to increase the number of accurate celiac diagnoses in Canada. In turn, we need more members to fund our efforts. The simple premise of these ideas is that a lot of younger people won’t pay $40 a year to a membership program based purely on a medical diagnosis. Unless local CCA committees apply visible activism efforts, young people won’t be very interested in joining.

To increase members, specifically young members, I would increase the local CCA’s efforts regarding

• national and international gluten-free labelling laws, 
• public awareness and education efforts, 
• gluten-free food accessibility issues. 

When I joined the CCA, I naively expected letter-writing campaigns (with hand-written letters) to MPs regarding labelling laws. I am surprised the association doesn’t already do that - celiac disease is a political issue!

You and I talked about meeting with home economics classes in high schools. If being a member also meant having the opportunity to go with a small crew of people with CD to schools for 30 minute presentations, I would be all over it. CD often develops in teenagers; the practical implications of this simple effort would be enormous.

I’ve been a student for the last 5 years. Food off and on-campus is really difficult when you pay for so much else without a normal income. A by-donation gluten-free food bank, or more gluten-free items in food banks, would have helped a lot. Seriously, a lot.

I’m a CCA member, young, and reasonably defiant. When I was diagnosed I didn’t want education about gf food - I had the internet. However, I could have used a push to get diagnosed earlier, and I really could have used some practical help getting food on my table. In turn, I would happily renew my membership if I thought that other people would get the kind of services that I would have been thankful for.

Please know that I am thankful already for the work that the Victoria celiac chapter has done. The newsletter is a great service, the website looks good and is easy to use. These ideas are not original, I’m sure, but I hope they help a little.

My very best to all the members at the meeting, if you choose to bring any of these up.

Claire