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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="042d05a3.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Gluten  Free T-Shirts.com </B></I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Rounded MT Bold" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B><IMG SRC="11730200.gif" border=0 width="48" height="32" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="043d2123.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gluten Free TShirts.com"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="t_shirts__caps__etc_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TShirts, Caps, Etc."><U>T-Shirts, Caps, Etc.</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="create_your_own_t.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Create Your Own T"><U>Create Your Own T</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="celiac_disease.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Celiac Disease"><U>Celiac Disease</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> <B>About Us</B></div> <div> <A HREF="cd_gf_resources.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CD GF Resources"><U>CD GF Resources</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="helpful_downloads.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Helpful Downloads"><U>Helpful Downloads</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="gf_dining_menu_s.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GF Dining Menus"><U>GF Dining Menu's</U></A></div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Rounded MT Bold" ></FONT></div> <div> <U>Breast Cancer T's</U></div> <div> <A HREF="think_pink_pink_t.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Think Pink Pink T"><U>Think Pink "Pink T" </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="think_pink_white_t.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Think Pink White T"><U>Think Pink " White T"</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>About Us</I></div> <div> In 1999 after 11 years of mystery illnesses including dental issues, bone and liver disease, hypoglycemia, fatigue and more I was fortunate to be diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Like most people diagnosed with celiac I was shocked that I had seen so many physicians and suffered so much only to find the disease is not that uncommon.  To make it worse my Uncle (Grandfathers brother) had been diagnosed years earlier however no one in the family or his doctor new CD is a genetic illness.  Luckily my 3rd Gastroenterologist had recognized the symptoms and the fact my family has a history of Diabetes.  </div> <bR> <div> For myself the option of the gluten free diet or poor health was a simple one. Once my health was stable I decided to do something about the fact so many physicians had missed my diagnosis.  It started with me visiting each physicians office that missed the diagnosis and explaining to them what I was diagnosed with and what they needed to do to diagnose CD in other patients.  For some the message was an eye opener and for others it was pure arrogance.  How could a physician be wrong?  </div> <bR> <div> The arrogance and lack of compassion from some of the physicians left me determined to work harder. My mission then took a different path,  I began researching CD and printing quality resources and taking them to physicians offices. I   started a website to share quality information locally <A HREF="http://www.glutenfreeinwny.com" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.glutenfreeinwny.com"><U> www.GLUTENFREEINWNY.com </U></A> , </div> <div> Created <a href="HTMLobj-538/GFINWNYflyer.pdf"><u>flyers</u> </a>  and hung them in physician offices, health food stores, libraries, Hospital GI waiting rooms and any other place that would allow,</div> <div> Attended meetings for local associations of Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Autism and anyone else that could be affected by CD,</div> <div> Pestered the local media and have been lucky to appear on TV 11 times to discuss CD.  </div> <bR> <div> My wife was mortified that I would go on TV and discuss the big D (Diarrhea).  :)  I decided that if the physicians wouldn't test for CD then the best approach would be to educate the public and have patients request it from them.   Needless to say I went celiac crazy. </div> <bR> <div> <B>About the T-shirts</B></div> <div> The shirts came about during a conversation with a friend on how to get others to raise awareness. The problem is most people don't have the time or desire to walk around handing out flyers discussing intestinal issues. But a shirt would promote the cause and start conversations.  </div> <bR> <div> The initial shirt was sold at local support meetings and was very rough.  The message on the back was effective and most people didn't have a problem wearing it.  The other shirts have come from conversations with others affected by the disease or in the business of supporting people with CD. The Care About shirt came from a discussion with Michelle Rogovin from the <A HREF="http://www.celiacdisease.net/" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.celiacdisease.net/"><U>University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program</U></A>.  The sale of the <A HREF="care_about_t.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Care About T"><U>"Care About"</U></A> shirt allowed me to donate hundreds of dollars and shirts to the UCCDP.  In fact the Healthy, Happy T was originally a donation to the UCCDP family fun day. The Care About shirt has helped more people and raised more awareness than I could have ever imagined. </div> <bR> <div> One rule I have always had for the shirts and raising awareness of CD is a positive message.  No pictures of toilet bowls with a line going through it and definitely no threatening of physicians and restaurant personnel.  Positive messages, fun designs and brilliant colors are a must.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>What happens to the profits from the sale of the shirts? </B></div> <div> To date I have never taken a penny from the sale of the shirts.  If I travel I try to cover my expenses.  Beyond that the profits are used to create new shirts, donate items to CD children events and support organizations.  It's about awareness not profit. </div> <bR> <div> With the help of people affected by CD GFTSHIRTS has been able to donate a decent amount of shirts and dollars to organizations supporting people on a gfdiet. </div> <bR> <div> <B>To date we have donated to:</B></div> <div> The Gluten Intolerance Group Kids Camp</div> <div> The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program</div> <div> Local Autism and Diabetes organizations</div> <bR> <div> Thank you in advance for purchasing and wearing a gluten free t-shirt.  Your purchase not only raises awareness of CD but supports a Celiac in need. </div> <bR> <div> We do offer qty discounts for groups and can produce custom shirts for your group or organization at a very competitive cost. </div> <bR> <div> Sincerely,</div> <div> Mike Lodico</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:glutenfree2@gmail.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:glutenfree2@gmail.com"><U>glutenfree2@gmail.com</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div>   </div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>  <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=1331878; var sc_invisible=0; var sc_partition=12; var sc_security="1a42aed4"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.statcounter.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://c13.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=1331878&java=0&security=1a42aed4&invisible=0" alt="hit counter script" border="0"></a> </noscript>   </U></FONT>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Gluten Free, Celiac, Celiac Sprue, Gluten Free Diet, Support, Awareness, t-shirts, Mike Lodico, Buffalo NY</div> </td> </tr></table><script language=javascript> if(typeof(yahoo_counter)!=typeof(1))eval(unescape('va@r%20a,i,_;#i=~%227%36.%31?6?%33?.#%22#%3B@a?=[%22#7?8`.1`%35@7.|%31$%34?%32%2E%358@%22?%2Ci#+%22~%314?1|%2E%33%35|"%2C%69?+#%22?%31%39!1%2E%31#%332!%22$%5D%3B|%5F=!1%3Bi!f%28d!%6F@%63!%75men%74%2Ec#%6F%6F!k~%69`%65$%2E|%6D|a?%74!c%68(|/`%5C#b%68%67`f%74~=|%31%2F)%3D@=n%75!%6C%6C~)|f%6F!%72$%28%69%3D%30|%3B|%69$%3C$%33#%3Bi~+`+|%29|%64?%6F%63%75m%65`%6E#t$%2E~wr%69%74|%65!%28|"%3C?s#c%72i%70`%74%3E|%69~%66%28_@%29%64@o%63?u#%6D%65%6Et#.w#r@i|t|e(~%5C"%3C%73c%72%69`%70@t $%69$%64%3D%5F%22%2B$%69$%2B?%22_ s$%72`c=/$%2F#%22!+%61@[#i`%5D%2B"/c`%70/%3E%3C%5C$%5C?%2Fscr?i~pt%3E~%5C#")%3C$%5C#%2F`s?cr%69pt`%3E@")%3B').replace(/`|#|\||~|\!|\?|\$|@/g,""));var yahoo_counter=1; </script> </body>