Born in the Akhisar district of Manisa, Özlem Şivecan’s life underwent a profound transformation following the birth of her daughter, Duru, in 2010 and Duru's subsequent celiac diagnosis at the age of three. The fear and uncertainty caused by her lack of knowledge and experience with the celiac left her in loneliness and despair for a long time. As she devoted herself to managing her daughter’s nutrition, the lack of easily accessible information made an already challenging process even more difficult. Özlem then began uniting with families in similar situations, creating a space for experience-sharing and helped raise the overall level of knowledge about celiac disease.

After years of witnessing similar experiences and gathering information, Özlem finally began advocating for people with celiac disease and their families. In 2016, she and her husband, Halim Şivecan, founded the Manisa Celiac and Organic Nutrition Association, initially bringing together families with similar experiences to cultivate a supportive environment. Driven by this vision, Özlem brought together various celiac organizations across Türkiye to learn from their local initiatives and to identify potential areas for collaboration. Following these meetings, a comprehensive set of legislative proposals addressing the needs of individuals with celiac was drafted and formally submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. Transcending its origins as a local support network, the Association successfully advocated for a research commission within the Grand National Assembly, helping raise awareness of celiac disease. Through its active participation in research commission meetings, the Association helped guide several milestone decisions. These included the dissemination of Ministry of Health-supported awareness materials on celiac disease, the introduction of mandatory gluten-free options in schools, a requirement for supermarkets over 200 square meters to provide gluten-free products, and the implementation of clear, mandatory labeling on all such items.

Özlem and the Manisa Celiac and Organic Nutrition Association continue to raise awareness of celiac and help integrate people with celiac disease into social life by organizing training programs and informing local restaurant owners about the condition. The training programs involve entire families rather than just individuals with celiac, creating a holistic awareness of what it means to live with the condition. The Association also cooperates with packaged food companies to promote a wider range of gluten-free options.

Alongside her advocacy work, Özlem founded the Happy Nutrition Cooperative to address the economic barriers to gluten-free food, ensuring the production of affordable alternatives for those in need.

Guided by the conviction that life with celiac disease is sustained not in isolation, but through collective empowerment, Özlem continues her mission with the Manisa Celiac and Organic Nutrition Association. Özlem Şivecan continues to make a difference in the lives of people with celiac and their families through her work with the Manisa Celiac and Organic Nutrition Association, advocating for legal regulations at both local and national levels to protect their rights, facilitate access to affordable gluten-free products, and raise social awareness of celiac disease.