Twelve-year-old Cameron Rich was on vacation with his family four years ago in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but instead of enjoying the barrier islands’ open-sea beaches and shipwreck diving sites, he was running to the bathroom with stomach cramps and diarrhea, throwing up three to four times a day. These symptoms continued for months.
Even after four months of testing when Cameron returned home to Dublin, Ohio, the doctors did not know what was wrong with him. On a family friend’s suggestion, Cameron got a blood test, which revealed a life change. He was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder that can damage the small intestine when gluten is consumed.
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