Be a case study

Do you have a story about struggling to maintain your lifestyle while you manage a gluten-free diet? Have you ever become ill after being assured that the meal you ordered at a restaurant was gluten-free? Do you want to help others by telling your story of living with coeliac disease? If so, then Coeliac UK needs your help!

Following the great success of Awareness Week 2008 when almost 35 case studies were featured in the national and regional media we now need at least another 100 new case studies to help get your stories and voices heard in your local media. 

It is important that we have case studies spanning Britain as well as people of all ages.  If you are willing to speak to the press about your experiences of living on a gluten-free diet we would like to hear from you - the more unusual the better!

Why do we need case studies?
The media use case studies, accounts of real events, as the basis for articles and features on particular issues.  In the case of coeliac disease it is usually a particular experience, for example, gluten-free eating out or problems with diagnosis.  Being able to produce real people with real stories bolsters Coeliac UK's on going campaign for better provision for people with coeliac disease as using case studies really brings the issue to life.

We recently had a request from a local paper and had no case studies on file living in that region. The journalist's response was, "If you can't find anyone don't worry we will cover a different health story instead."  The paper wouldn't even run a feature about coeliac disease at all without the local human interest angle.  To ensure we are able to make the most of every platform and opportunity to progress the campaigns we do on your behalf, we need your help and your experiences.

What do I have to do?
You need to fill in the case study form with as much information as possible and return to casestudies@coeliac.org.uk.  If you can, please include a recent phtotograph of yourself.  Your story will then be kept in our case study file, ready to be drawn upon.  In the event that your case study is used, usually you would talk to a journalist for 20 minutes or so (usually by phone) and they normally require a recent photo.  We would of course be in touch with you beforehand to discuss what they have requested and to help with any queries. 

Please note there are no guarantees your story will be used by the media.