Gutsy Walk for Crohn's and Colitis takes place on Sunday, June 10, 2012.
On June 10, 2012, Steinbach resident Robyn Hardern, together with thousands of Canadians will take to the streets to show their guts in the face of a chronic disease that directly affects more than 200,000 Canadians and touches an additional 800,000.
On that day, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) will hold its 17th annual Gutsy Walk; a coast-to-coast fundraising event. Participants raise funds by collecting pledges from their families, friends and co-workers to fund research into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The Gutsy Walk takes place on Sunday, June 10, 2012 in about 80 Canadian communities, and is organized by local CCFC Chapters.
“I am taking part in the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada’s (CCFC) Gutsy Walk to raise awareness of IBD and help find a cure.” says Hardern. Here in Manitoba we have many families affected by IBD, and one in 160 Canadians lives with IBD. By pledging your support for a participant or participating yourself, you could be helping your neighbour without even knowing it!
Inflammatory bowel disease is comprised of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: two similar, yet distinct, conditions which cause intestinal tissue to become inflamed, form sores and bleed easily. Both Crohn’s and colitis can flare up at unpredictable times, and flare-up can last from days to months at a time.
During a flare-up, patients suffer from symptoms including abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue, frequent and urgent diarrhea and bloody stools. Additional symptoms include nausea, bloating, anaemia, joint pain, canker sores in the mouth, skin and eye irritations and weight loss.
Some additional facts about IBD:
• More than 200,000 Canadians – an estimated one in 160 – live with IBD
• The incidence rate is growing, and in particular, more children are being diagnosed with IBD
• It is more common than multiple sclerosis or HIV infection and about as common as epilepsy
• Canada has among the highest rates of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world
• There is no cure, no known cause, and little public understanding of the pain, chronic suffering and isolation IBD patients courageously cope with every day of their lives
• The cost to Canada’s economy is on average more than $9,000 per year per patient
Additional information about the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada:
• The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada is a volunteer-based registered charity dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• The Foundation is committed to educating IBD patients, their families, health professionals and the general public about the diseases
• Since its founding, CCFC has invested more than $71 million in IBD research, making the foundation a world leader in non-governmental funding of IBD research
• Canadian researchers funded by CCFC are conducting cutting edge research and are sustaining the hope for a cure worldwide
• The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada believes that a cure will be found for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
For more information about Gutsy Walk please visit www.gutsywalk.ca, and for more information about CCFC or inflammatory bowel disease, please visit www.ccfc.ca.
