Atlanta Area Residents Team Up To Fight Digestive Disease

June 22, 2012 - PRLog -- Contact:      
Angel Whitworth
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Georgia Chapter
404-982-0616
awhitworth@ccfa.org

ATLANTA AREA RESIDENTS TEAM UP TO FIGHT DIGESTIVE DISEASES

ATLANTA, GA – May 29, 2012– Over 45,000 Georgia residents are living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, two painful, unpredictable diseases of the digestive tract. Local residents are making a difference in the lives of such patients through Crohn’s & Colitis Team Challenge, an endurance training program run by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, whose mission is to cure these diseases. Through the Georgia chapter, participants are training for the Lady Speed Stick Nashville Women’s Half Marathon.  Funds raised will positively impact the lives of those living with these devastating digestive diseases, including Atlanta / Fayetteville resident, Casey Wilson.

Casey Wilson is 29 years old. After being diagnosed with “mild to moderate” Ulcerative Colitis in 2005, everything seemed to be under control. “If I didn’t have to take a handful of pills 3 times a day, I would have no idea anything was wrong with me at all”, said Casey. For whatever reason, the disease decided to take off running in 2006. Casey went through a long list of medications that either made him extremely ill, or did nothing at all over the course of the next year or so. Finally his doctor put him on a medication that seemed to keep him from having to constantly endure flareups. Unfortunately, this medication can just stop working for a patient by nature, and after about 3 years this was the case for him. By this time his colitis had progressed to “severe” and a colonoscopy revealed that his colon looked worse than before treatment of any kind had begun. It was at this point that the decision was made to go forward with surgery to remove his colon in October 2011. “While I am still only a few weeks removed from the procedure at the point of writing this, I can honestly say that I have not felt this great in years and am hopeful that it will only get better”, Casey said.

Casey has had many personal challenges with the disease. “It really kept me from living my life”. “I was terrified to leave the house, feeling like a 10 minute drive to the store was out of reach because I may not be able to make it there without having to use a restroom I may or may not pass en route.”

The Crohn’s and Colitis Team Challenge program is currently recruiting for the Lady Speed Stick Nashville Women’s Half Marathon.  Experience Music City at its finest! The Country Music Hall of Fame, Music Row, Centennial Park, great Nashville neighborhoods and a street party in Downtown Nashville. The custom finisher's medal, designer goodie bag, cookie cafe and much, much more make this half marathon and 5k a spectacular event! You can be a part of this fantastic event, while knowing you are helping find a cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Information meetings are beginning the first week in June.  
 

Those wishing to make the commitment to fight for patients like Casey train over a 16-week period on the weekends at a local venue. Coaches offer clinics on fitness, injury prevention, nutrition and other relevant topics, training participants to succeed on race day and beyond. Participants are given access to cutting-edge fundraising tools, including a free Web page for fundraising support and fundraising advice and assistance, to help patients win their battle with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Participants commit to raise funds for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis research and in exchange for this commitment, the Foundation provides several months of training from professional coaches, as well as transportation to the event, free accommodations, race entry fees, admission to entertainment and events and the opportunity to share a life-changing experience with a group of caring individuals.

To attend an upcoming meeting or for more information about becoming involved in Crohn’s & Colitis Team Challenge, visit www.ccteamchallenge.org or contact Angel Whitworth at 404-982-0616 or awhitworth@ccfa.org.

About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery.  These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18.  Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.

About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, and more than 83 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org.