“Sometimes the hardest battles spark the brightest hope”
When Jill’s son, Forrest, stopped walking, talking, and began falling asleep mid-meal, her world turned upside down. “He looked like a ghost of himself—pale, frail, and trapped in a body that wouldn’t thrive,” she recalls. Doctors were baffled, and the family’s days became a blur of ER visits and hospital quarantines. But in 1990, after weeks of uncertainty, a gastroenterologist finally saw what others missed: Forrest’s “classic case” of celiac disease.
The Turning Point
With diagnosis came relief—and a new challenge. “How do you teach a toddler that food can hurt him?” Jill remembers. Fanny packs became their lifeline, stuffed with safe snacks Forrest learned to trust. “He’d pat that little pouch like it held the sun itself,” she smiles. “It wasn’t just food—it was safety.”
The Invisible Fight
In an era before gluten-free labels and allergy warnings, Jill became a detective, decoding ingredient lists and leaning on local support groups. “We were pioneers in a world that didn’t understand,” she says. “But every parent we met became family.”
A Legacy of Light
Today, Jill’s mission glows brighter than ever: “No family should face this alone.” Her voice softens as she adds, “Forrest’s journey taught me that courage isn’t about being fearless—it’s about showing up, fanny pack in hand, even when you’re trembling.”
To Every #CeliacWarriorMom: Your love turns kitchens into sanctuaries and struggles into strength. Keep shining.
