Walk for a Cure encourages Wheatland students

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Every year the Wheatland Elementary School participates in the Walk for a Cure to raise money towards a charity of their choice.
On May 13, the school chose to do a walk for Celiac Disease and two students showed the courage to speak about how they cope with the disease.
This was Tessa Boyd’s first time speaking about it.
“It was a little bit weird to do it and I was a little shy to do it, but I did it because it was going to be cool,” said Boyd.
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that can damage the lining of the small intestine.
“If I look at the people, then I kind of get nervous but if I just look at my paper, it makes me feel that I’m still practicing once they’re watching me, it’s a kind of trick,” said Boyd.
She just wanted to put her message out there about harmful products that aggrivate Celiac disease.
“Wheat and barley are bad for Celiac people and I wanted to say that in the beginning,” said Boyd.
Gabrielle Gauvin was glad to speak about the disease, having been recently diagnosed.
“It was not really my first time speaking in front of a big crowd,” Gauvin said. “I just wanted to let everyone know that it’s not that bad if you get it. You eat a little different, but eat the exact same things but just different kinds.”
She admits the transition to a stricter diet has gotten much easier.
“It was kind of hard at the starting point because I didn’t know what was going on, but after that it was real easy,” said Gauvin.