Canadian Celiac Association’s National Conference 2012, Kelowna, BC!

Canadian Celiac Association National Conference: May 24-25, 2012

As many of you may know, I live in the beautiful Okanagan region of BC, in Kelowna (you can usually find me tweeting @misskelowna!) Well, I’m super excited about the upcoming Canadian Celiac Association Conference this month, because it’s in my hometown! I just marked my third year anniversary of being gluten free (aka 3 AD – 3 years after diagnosis), so I’m looking forward to going to my first Celiac conference, and being around people who really “get it.” I’m looking forward to also learning about the latest in Celiac and gluten free research, and of course, to the gluten free food that will be sampled and served at the conference!!

Conference Speakers

This year’s keynote speaker at the conference is Dr. Sheila Crowe. Dr. Crowe has over 25 years of experience in Gastroenterology and is the co-author of Celiac Disease for Dummies – a book I read when I was first diagnosed! Dr. Crowe served as a Consultant “Ask the Expert” for the New York Times Health online section on the topic of celiac disease. Although Dr. Crowe doesn’t have celiac disease herself, she is certainly well versed in the disease. In fact, her month-in-law, the late Mrs. Kay Ernst, co-founded the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) 40 years ago. You can read her full biography here. (Opens in a PDF).

Other speakers include Dr. Ian Blumer (speaking on celiac disease and its relationship to other autoimmune diseases), Dr. Hardy Limeback (speaking on dentistry and celiac disease), Dr. Brent Barlow (speaking on naturopathy and celiac disease), and Dr. Mohsin Rashid (speaking on “Celiac Without Borders: A Global Perspective”).

On Sunday, Dr. Connie Switzer will be delivering the Professional Advisory Board Report. Dr. Switzer was actually the gastroenterologist* that did my endoscopy back in Edmonton, and delivered me the news, “Yep, you definitely have celiac disease.” After that day, I never intentionally ate another speck of gluten. (Luckily, I had decided to load of on some of my glutenous favourites before that endoscopy, as I had a feeling I’d never have them again: perogies at the Farmer’s Market, fresh bread (of any kind), fresh sourdough bread (oh how I miss you), and my old Friday night tradition, Panago Pizza.)

*A gastroenterologist is an internal medicine physician that specializes in the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Kelowna Gluten Free Expo

On Saturday, May 25 at the conference (non-conference attendees can go for $5), there will be a gluten free expo. Click here for more info. The following exhibitors will be sampling goods and/or providing info on their services:

Choices Markets Glutino Glutenpro Cuisine Soleil Maplegrove Foods O’Doughs Gluten Free Bread Bard’s Beer Epicure Solutions Crunchmaster Crackers Sin Grano Ancient Grains Bakery Arbonne Essentials Silver Hills Bakery Direct Plus Food Group Avena Foods Fresh Fields Whole Foods Foods Alive Suede Hills Organic Farm Visalus – Total Body By Vi Holy Crap Lotus Fine Foods Quality Professional Services Gumtree Catering Everyday Superfoods

Allergic Living Kinnikinnick El Peto Organic Works Maplegrove Foods Canadian Fruitful Tree Company Jamestown Mills A Celiac Is Coming The Celiac Scene Nutracleanse Udi’s Gluten Free Piccola Cucina Bakery on Main Gluten Free Cert. Program Elco Fine Foods Atlas Brand Management Nature’s Fare Health Canada Tilly’s Galley Pamela’s Products Functional Foods & Natural Health Products North of 49 Naturals Curry Pot

For more information about the conference and gluten free expo, check out http://kelownaceliac.org/kelowna-2012/. For those of you who are attending, I look forward to seeing you there!!