National Celiac Association Tennessee (NCAT) is a chapter of the National Celiac Association based in Boston that serves those diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This national organization took over from the Celiac Support Association in 2017. Our group applied to the new NCA to become a chapter of NCA and our chapter affiliation with NCA was finalized in July 2018.
Our NCAT chapter provides support and information for families with members diagnosed with celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity-helping them adjust to a gluten-free diet while providing a meeting forum to discuss dietary and medical topics and exchange information.
NCAT’s History
Victoria (Tori) Ross, Heschel Graves, M.D., and Laura Sessums, a resident at Vanderbilt, founded our original Celiac Support Association Chapter #76 in 1992. Our group provided many programs for our members and the public including presentations by Dr. Mark Houston, Dr. Tom O’Bryan (twice), several dieticians, Janet Lowery’s baking demonstrations, and many other informative presentations for living gluten-free. We even sponsored a fundraising walk, The Boot Scootin’ Against Gluten. Our members suggest programs and our leaders continue to seek speakers and topics of interest for our quarterly meetings.
When the CSA disbanded in 2017, we invited Lee Graham, Executive Director of the new National Celiac Association, to make a presentation at our May 2017 meeting. She stayed for a meeting of our Board so that she could inform us about the new national organization and about how we could become a chapter affiliate of the NCA. After many months of work , we completed our affiliation agreement and became a chapter of the NCA, known as NCAT – National Celiac Association Tennessee in July 2018.
National Celiac Association (NCA) National Membership
Our members may also want to join the National Celiac Association (NCA), the national organization, to have access to the latest in research and articles about current issues such as food labeling of gluten-free products. Membership is just $35 the first year and $30 for subsequent years. In addition to the online services and information, the NCA membership also includes the Gluten Free Nation Magazine, published three times a year, packed with informative articles about the research and gluten free living.
The NCA website includes Celiac Disease Resources that feature Ask A Dietitian as well as a gluten-free recipe collection. There are current articles in addition to descriptions of gluten-induced conditions, their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. NCA provides Food Cards that you can carry with you to hand to the server to take back to the kitchen staff to explain the important information needed for safely preparing a gluten-free meal.