Gluten-Free Living and the Celiac Disease Foundation have a shared vision: to promote the advancement of celiac disease research and spotlight celiac and gluten-free champions in our community. With this vision in mind, Gluten-Free Living is proud to introduce passionate and dedicated CDF Student Ambassadors from across the U.S. Below, meet Brooke Pierpoint, a 16-year-old from Los Angeles who loves tennis, traveling and gluten-free lasagna.
Celiac Disease Foundation Student Ambassador
Living a gluten-free lifestyle is not a preference, but rather a necessity for my wellbeing. My name is Brooke Pierpoint, I am 16 years old, and I attend Marymount High School in Los Angeles, California.
I love to play tennis! I play for Marymount’s varsity tennis team and enjoy the quality time with all of the girls who share the same passion. I love to travel with my family and explore new places! My favorite city is Amsterdam because of the beautiful canals and weather. Surprisingly, they have many gluten-free options and I enjoyed being able to experience the Dutch cuisine.
I have been diagnosed with celiac disease for nearly four years. Leading up to the year prior to my diagnosis, I wasn’t growing or gaining weight, felt constantly fatigued, lacked strength when playing sports, and had difficulty concentrating. Because my mom also endures celiac, I wasn’t surprised when I was diagnosed.
Maintaining a gluten-free diet can be very challenging, frustrating and isolating at times; however, is that one pizza slice justifiably better than the following hours of discomfort and pain? Of course not! The feeling of a settled stomach and overall better physical state makes the gluten-free diet worth it. Because I was proactive and reached out to my school’s administration, our catering company amended their daily lunch menu to better accommodate those with gluten-free diets. It creates a better learning environment and outlook towards school when I am able to eat something that is not just a salad.
I am dedicated and determined to support research that will help raise funds in hopes of finding a cure for celiac disease. My hope for the future is that no one will worry about accidentally ingesting gluten or the detrimental causes it could create, but rather enjoy what we once couldn’t be able to eat. I became a CDF student ambassador because I want to express the severity of celiac, raise money towards research and the necessity of an awareness about the disease. Go team gluten free!
My favorite gluten-free meal is my mom’s homemade lasagna. We buy the noodles from the local grocery store. The brand is called Barilla Oven-Ready Lasagna noodles. One option is to simply follow the ingredients on the box; however, my favorite is when my mom adds fresh parsley, spinach and ground turkey.
