Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  I turned 40 in February and have decided to do a tandem skydive to celebrate it while raising money for Coeliac UK.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in November 2005, after a series of other illnesses, including asthma and ME that appeared from virtually nowhere.  Throughout my life I've had periods of super charged energy and alertness and then the complete opposite of acute lethargy, disinterest, horrendous unrelenting pain and feeling as though I've been hit by a bus.  Thankfully since diagnoses I've followed a very strict gluten free diet, produced three gorgeous bambinos and finally got my life back...whoopie-doo!

First degree relatives have a 1 in 10 chance of developing Coeliac Disease.  My sister was diagnosed three years ago and my daughter who has just turned 5 has recently been diagnosed, bless her little cotton socks! Had I not been so aware she would have suffered for years with a huge variety of problems.

Coeliacs have to follow a life long diet that avoid gluten, a substance found in wheat, barley, rye and contaminated oats.  It is an autoimmune disease and not an allergy or intolerance. The bodies own immune system attacks its own tissues when exposed to gluten.  This results in a whole host of symptoms and illnesses that often mimic lots of other diseases, and so diagnosis can take on average 15 years.  In the meantime, undiagnosed Coeliacs suffer and wither away, and can end up with other full blown autoimmune diseases, complications, and higher risks of diseases such as osteoporosis, lymphoma and cancer. 

Coeliac Disease is currently under diagnosed and often misunderstood.  In the UK for example, about 1 in 300 people are diagnosed but research shows a more realistic figure is that 1 in 100 people have the disease. Coeliac UK do a great job in raising awareness about and supporting people with Coeliac Disease by,

• providing expert and independent information to help people manage their health and diet
• campaigning on their behalf to improve access to fast diagnosis, good medical treatment and safe foods - in the home and out
• and researching new treatments and the possibilities of a cure.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

These are all the reasons why I have chosen Coeliac UK. So please dig deep and donate now.  Thank you so much for your support xx