By Amanda McLeod
Marion Zarkadas counts her life as a very fortunate one. She’s reluctant to claim accolades or distinctions, preferring to talk about her family, travels, and art.
A quick name search on the internet, however, shows a lifetime of work in the field of celiac disease research and policy creation for which Zarkadas has recently been awarded the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal.
Born in the mid-1930s, Zarkadas spent her early years in Edmonton, Alberta. She describes a childhood and early adult years filled with adventure and family, ranging from earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics and Food and Nutrition studies at the University of Alberta to travelling abroad with the Canadian Air Force—but also the experience of a constant and ongoing state of unknown unwellness.
“I had a good time, but I was always on the edge of not being as well as I should be. It’s a question of exhaustion and sometimes pain…it’s very debilitating actually,” Zarkadas told KT.
In 1988, Zarkadas was referred to a doctor at the Ottawa General Civic Hospital, who diagnosed her with celiac disease. At the time, celiac was not an illness that the medical community, let alone the general public, knew much about. So, while Zarkadas now had an answer to the question of her lifelong illness, what that meant precisely was still unclear.
But, as luck would have it — or in Zarkadas preferred phrase, “the whole thing is just kind of a big fluke” — that diagnosis would alter her life path profoundly in a variety of ways.
“The thing that was the most significant after I found out I had celiac disease was that I was over at Health Canada, and there was a fellow there from Quebec. I shared that I just discovered that I have celiac disease, and he said, ‘Well, you’ve got to speak to Sammy [Samuel] Godefroy, Director General at Health Canada,’” she recounted. “I made an appointment with Sammy, and at five o’clock that afternoon, I met him, and without a word of a lie, he is the key to everything we’ve been doing.”
The Island Park resident would go on to help shape public policy and educational resources through her research with Health Canada. She worked with and advised the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on matters of food allergen and gluten labelling regulations and sat on the board of the Canadian Celiac Association from 1993 to 2011.
When reflecting on her work in celiac disease research, Zarkadas downplays her role. Instead, she speaks highly of her colleagues, naming the previously mentioned Godefroy several times, Celiac Canada’s Executive Director Melissa Secord, and Shelly Case, a registered dietician, author, and consultant on all things celiac.
So it’s no surprise that when asked about the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal, Zarkadas says she was shocked to receive the call.
“I was told that I was going to be getting an award for the work I did for the Celiac Association, and I was surprised, to tell you the truth,” she said. “It completely blew me away because, my goodness, I haven’t been involved with the organization [recently].”
In December 2024, Secord shared with Zarkadas that she would receive the honour. In February 2025, Celiac Ottawa hosted a presentation ceremony for four honourees, recognizing their significant contributions to celiac disease research and advocacy.
“If not for her, we wouldn’t have international labelling laws and research for living a healthy life with celiac. Canada is an international leader in celiac disease and food allergy labelling…people can now trust the label because of Marion,” said Secord.
The plot twist is that Zarkadas also received Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. When asked about that honour, she shared a story about seeing the same colleagues at both events and how nice it was to spend time together again.
“We had a really nice get-together. That was amazing. I’ve been well cared for and well appreciated…but it’s almost embarrassing with this one because I think, oh my gosh, this is a long time ago. It’s a beautiful plot.”
In addition to her life’s work of Celiac research and education, Marion raised three sons with her late husband, Kosta, while living in Montreal, New York City, Greece, and then finally, Ottawa. She also continued her beloved stained glass and photography hobbies. Now, she’s dabbling in chocolate making.
“My brother died at 40, and I’m wondering if maybe that’s why…and my dad when he was 80, they talked about the possibility of him having celiac disease. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m telling you, it’s just been like a miracle. How can you be this lucky to be so well at this age and stage? I turned 90 in October and thought, ‘How did this happen?’. But to get this, it just blew me away,” said Zarkadas.
Marion Zarkadas has been recognized for her work in the field of Celiac disease research.
Photos by Amanda McLeod.