A FERMANAGH woman who has lived with a serious autoimmune condition for over 15 years has urged local residents to be aware of the symptoms of coeliac disease.
As part of Coeliac Awareness Month, Roslea woman Agnes Lynch has spoken out about the condition which affects around 10,000 people in the North.
“Mary [Lynch] has Down’s Syndrome and was diagnosed with coeliac disease when she was 18 years old and is now 34 years old,” said her mother, Agnes.
“With the support of the dietitian we have been able to manage her condition over the past few years. When Covid-19 started and we weren’t able to attend hospital, the dietitian contacted me on the telephone.
“If we had any problems between appointments, I only had to ring [dietician] Warren [Edwards] and he was always on hand to help and keep us on the right track. We couldn’t have done it without him.”
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks it’s own tissues when gluten is eaten. The treatment involves a strict lifelong gluten free diet.
“My husband Bernard also has Coeliac Disease and is managed by Warren [Edwards]. We are very appreciative of all the help provided and wish to thank Warren for his continued support.”
The Western Health and Social Care Trust is aiming to persuade Fermanagh residents to get themselves checked for coeliac disease.
“My colleagues aim to treat patients with a diagnosis of coeliac disease holistically ensuring that individual patient centred care is at the heart of the treatment and support for our patients,” said Joy Whelan.
“Figures provided by Coeliac UK report coeliac disease affects approximately one in every 100 people in the UK, but only an estimated 36 per cent are diagnosed.
“However, the number of people diagnosed in Northern Ireland each year is increasing and this is a similar trend in the Western Trust and across the UK.
“We are very grateful for the support of our patients with coeliac disease who provided feedback on the service provided to highlight the impact of coeliac disease on people’s lives in the Western Trust area.”
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