Thornhill woman takes action on celiac

Aug. 28, 2014
yorkregion.com
By Simone Joseph

When Lisa Cantkier was only 18 months old, her parents and doctors believed she was dying.

The little girl was losing weight and her hair was falling out.

Back then, in 1977, nobody could figure out what was wrong with her.

She was admitted to The Hospital for Sick Children and later diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Doctors told her parents she only had a few weeks to live.

Then, one day: a breakthrough.

She ate a banana.

Nurses wrote in her chart that for once, she did not get diarrhea, as she usually did after eating.

Her doctors took note and began considering the likelihood that she had a food-related illness.

She did.

Little Lisa suffered from the autoimmune disorder celiac disease. The surface of her small intestine was being damaged by gluten, which lead to her body’s inability to absorb nutrients, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

About one in 133 Canadians are affected by celiac disease, according to the Canadian Celiac Association.

The banana Ms Cantkier had eaten was healthy for her because fruit and vegetables are gluten-free.

Ms Cantkier’s treatment includes a lifelong gluten-free diet, which means avoiding wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats.

Today, the 38-year-old-lives in Thornhill with her husband and two sons.

Her experiences with celiac disease motivated her to take action, to help others suffering from similar ailments.

In November, 2011, she created GlutenFreeFind.com - a directory of gluten-free restaurants, bakeries and even camps. It’s a tool Woodbridge resident Tammie Sarra has used often. She has a condition called non-celiac gluten intolerance and has been gluten-free for about 18 years.

Before Ms Sarra dines out, she peruses Ms Cantkier’s directory for restaurants with gluten-free menus.

“You can find a restaurant in any city in Canada. The directory has been phenomenal for us,” said Ms Sarra, who owns Allergic Solution (allergicsolution.com) which advertises on the site. The company manufactures a line of baking mixes that are free from 10 of the most common food allergens.

Ms Cantkier came up with the idea while eating out with friend Marlene Lauer. Ms Lauer had visited Montreal with her son, who has autism and is on a gluten and casein-free diet and she was complaining that the city provided few gluten-free options.

Ms Lauer is not alone in her choice to give her son a gluten and casein-free diet. Some parents of children with autism spectrum disorders choose a diet free of the proteins gluten and casein for their children because they find the child’s behavior improves on this diet regimen.

In addition to her directory, Ms Cantkier has also written a gluten-free living guide with health expert Kathy Smart.
Food guru Rose Reisman wrote the foreword. She believes Ms Cantkier’s success can be attributed to her knowledge and courage.

“People have really been drawn to her,” Ms Reisman said. “She knows what she is talking about...She has got guts. She goes out there. She wants to make a difference.”

In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8, Ms Cantkier was included in a photo portrait showcasing 10 inspirational Canadian women who use Microsoft technology as part of their success.

So far, Ms Cantkier has found it very satisfying to run her online directory.

“I have had incredible feedback,” she said.

A woman in her 50s wrote to her saying Ms Cantkier had saved her life.

She had been ill for many years, was losing weight and growing more sick.

Doctors told her to eat carbohydrates while her dietician told her to eat whole grains.

She read an article Ms Cantkier had written about her experience with celiac disease, including her symptoms (yummymummyclub.ca/health/wellness/gluten-free-life), shared via her website’s social media channels. After reading Ms Cantkier’s article, this woman decided to eat mainly protein, fruit and vegetables. It turns out that this woman has non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The woman told Ms Cantkier that today, she is in the best health of her life.

“I was crying,” Ms Cantkier said. “It made me feel this is what it is all about.”