Celiac Diagnosis Leads UToledo Rocket to the Big Screen | UToledo News
Celiac Diagnosis Leads UToledo Rocket to the Big Screen
August 6, 2026 | News,
Student Success,
UToday,
Alumni,
Health and Human ServicesBy Jon Monk
When Annie Rutherford returned to The University of Toledo to study social work, she wasn’t simply changing careers. She was answering a calling that had been shaped by years of personal health challenges and a desire to help those facing similar challenges
A graduate of Perrysburg High School, Rutherford earned an associate’s degree in Business Management Technology from The University of Toledo in 2017 before building a career in web development, marketing and human re
Annie Rutherford is pursuing a degree in social work at UToledo, with the goal of specializing in supporting others living with celiac disease and chronic health conditions
After developing a series of unexplained health problems, her life then took an unexpected turn
For nearly two years, Rutherford searched for answers while navigating doctors’ appointments, misdiagnosis and medical procedures before being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2019. As additional autoimmune conditions developed, she stepped away from her career in human re
“I’ve always felt in my heart that my deepest purpose is to help people,” Rutherford said. “I just never knew in what capacity.”
That search ultimately led her back to UToledo to pursue a degree in social work, with the goal of specializing in supporting others living with celiac disease and chronic health conditions
In 2024, Rutherford launched the social media platform @sillysillyceliac, using it to educate others about celiac disease while building a supportive online community. Her advocacy recently opened an unexpected door when the director of “Gluten is a Joke,” a documentary exploring life with celiac disease and medically necessary gluten-free lifestyles, discovered her content online
After several conversations, Rutherford was invited to join the production — both in front of and behind the camera. Earlier this year, she spent three days in Orlando working as an actress in multiple scenes and a member of the film crew. The documentary recently completed post-production and is set to premiere on Saturday, Sept. 12, in Sanford, Florida — near Orlando — and is expected to stream on various platforms before the end of the year
“I was very emotional,” Rutherford said. “Awareness on this scale is long overdue. To be asked to be a part of the largest project around medically necessary gluten-free lifestyles in history is the greatest honor.”
While filming proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Rutherford said the opportunity reinforced why she chose social work
“This experience taught me that not even the sky is the limit,” she said. “If you believe in something and put energy into advocacy, you can create real and lasting change.”
Her experiences in the classroom have helped shape that perspective. Rutherford credits faculty members Michelle Rose, an associate lecturer in the Department of Population Health, and Bill Weaver, an assistant lecturer in the School of Social Justice, for encouraging her advocacy work and supporting her while she balanced coursework with the documentary project
“Rather than allowing her experience with celiac disease to limit her, Annie has used it to deepen her empathy and strengthen her commitment to advocating for others,” Rose said. “I have no doubt she will carry that same sense of purpose into her career, where she will continue to be a thoughtful, compassionate advocate for those who need someone in their corner.”
Looking ahead, Rutherford said she hopes to open a celiac center in Toledo that would provide specialized therapy, support groups, educational programming and an allergen-friendly food pantry for individuals living with celiac disease and other chronic illnesses
She also wants her advocacy to help people better understand the realities of living with celiac disease
“I want people with celiac to feel validated, seen and supported,” Rutherford said. “I want them to know that they are not alone on this journey.”
For Rutherford, every step of the journey, from receiving a difficult diagnosis to returning to school and advocating for others, has reaffirmed that she is exactly where she is meant to be
“If your heart is pulling you in the direction of working with a certain population or community,” she said, “listen and pursue it.”
