Hi! I’m Jo, wife to a kiwi, mum to teens…

When our daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease, it turned our world upside down. There was no one to tell us it would be ok, there was no one to help us navigate the immense life changes we were experiencing. We were just given the diagnosis, told to immediately transition to a gluten free diet, and sent on our way.

We were lost in the sea of gluten free labels and “may contain” statements, and we struggled. Over time though, we've adjusted to our new normal. Now we safely share our kitchen between gluten and gluten free foods. We take packed lunches when we go out, we meticulously plan safe places to eat, and research holiday destinations that have safe eateries nearby. But if we'd had a road map in those early days, the transition to gluten free life would have been so much easier. I often said to my husband in those early days, that I wish there was someone to call, or a service to engage, to help us, to support us. It would have made the transition so much easier. 

Now I've created that service, that connection to support for new families - because while childhood coeliac disease will always be emotional, it shouldn’t be scary and isolating.