Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - On September 29, 2021, the Pennsylvania State Senate, with Lt. Governor John Fetterman presiding, honored 8 year old Jax Bari, a resident of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, for his national advocacy efforts for Celiac Disease.
"I rise today to share the story of an accomplished eight year old boy from District 17 who I am incredibly proud to represent. It is a story of advocacy, perseverance and genuine care for the community. Jax Bari is a constituent who has been a leading voice for Celiac Disease awareness and he's only eight years old." Senator Amanda Cappelletti.
According to Pennsylvania State Senator Amanda Cappelletti, "I was honored to host Jax Bari and his family at the Capitol in Harrisburg. Jax is an 8 year old from District 17 that lives with Celiac Disease. He has been a dedicated advocate since his diagnosis. Last year, as one of his 2nd grade projects, Jax worked on writing persuasive letters. Last May, Jax wrote a letter about his Celiac journey to David Muir, anchor of ABC News' World News Tonight. As a result of Jax's letter, David Muir covered Jax’s story, leading to even more interest in his work.
Jax has been a dedicated advocate for two goals:
Increase Federal funding to find a cure and more treatment options, other than a strict Gluten Free diet for life.
Require that Gluten be labeled as a top food allergen on all packaged foods in the U.S., just like it is 85 countries worldwide including across Europe and in Canada.
"Celiac Disease is a serious autoimmune disease that afflicts 3 million Americans, and by estimate 129,000 Pennsylvanians. I was glad to host the Bari family and introduce Jax on the Senate floor to bring attention to this issue." Senator Cappelletti
As a member of the Pennsylvania Senate's Health & Human Services Committee, Senator Cappelletti has been a leading voice for Celiac Disease, including introducing a Resolution Designating Celiac Disease Awareness Day. In addition to honoring Jax on the floor of the Pennsylvania State Senate, Senator Cappelletti hosted a meet and greet for the Bari Family, and Jax got to speak with various officials including Pennsylvania State Senator Jay Costa, Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, and Representative Matt Bradford.
Resources
One Sheeter - Senator Amanda Cappelletti Honors Jax Bari's National Advocacy Efforts, September 29, 2021.
Celiac Day Resolution - Resolution Recognizing Introduced by Senator Amanda Cappelletti, September 13, 2021, as "Celiac Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.
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