A motivating story that should be read by everyone that needs to avoid gluten.
“It’s hard to understand the enormity of a change like this if you haven’t been through it.” How true these simple words are! For Ann Campanella and her husband, every difficulty and challenge in life becomes secondary to making their daughter healthy and happy. After several years of well-intentioned but ineffective advice from physicians and friends, five-year-old Sydney is finally diagnosed with Celiac disease. The majority of this compelling book focuses on the never ending and painstaking task of finding foods to please a growing child that are free from gluten and that don’t leave her feeling like she is missing out on normal life. The Campanellas set the gold standard of compassionate support as they rally around Sydney and make sacrifices as a family to provide the best possible outcome for someone diagnosed with such a difficult disease.
Celiac Mom is an alternatingly heartbreaking and heartwarming recollection of years of trial and error raising a precious child plagued with Celiac. Ann Campanella considers her own relationship with food, and chooses to stand in solidarity with Sydney by eating a gluten free diet, which of course is far easier said than done. Sydney’s experience highlights how ingrained gluten is in our lives; hardly a holiday, event, tradition or accomplishment is not marked by gluten-filled foods. Completely candid and emotive in her writing, Campanella describes feeling overwhelmed, guilty, sad, angry, grateful, optimistic and hopeful. Any parent in a similar situation can certainly relate! Complete with practical resources and doable recipes, this book is a motivating story that should be read by everyone that needs to avoid gluten. Filled with all the highs and lows common to parenthood but with a sinister twist, Celiac Mom is the brilliant and determined journey of one devoted mother as she protects her daughter from a prolific and dangerous enemy.
