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This year‘s Heel ‘n‘ Wheel-a-Thon, held Saturday by the Thunder Bay chapter of the Crohn‘s and Colitis Foundation, raised $7,000. The money goes to the Crohn‘s and Colitis Foundation of Canada, and 90 per cent will go toward research, local chapter president Terri Carter said Saturday. “There are 200,000 people in Canada that have Crohn‘s and colitis,” Carter said. “We have one of the highest rates in the world. It‘s about the same number as diabetes.” Volunteer Pat Logan said 9,200 people are newly-diagnosed each year. That number includes children, she said. Crohn‘s and colitis – two similar-yet-distinct forms of inflammatory bowel diesease – affect the digestive system. They cause the intestines to become inflamed, form sores, bleed easily, scar and lose the normal smoothness of their inner lining, a foundation pamphlet states. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue, diarrhea, feaver and joint pain. The local walk – during which participants went around Boulevard Lake – has been happening for 10 years, Logan said. Across Canada, 80 chapters hold walks throughout June, and the fundraising goal this year is $2 million. Last year, the national walks raised $1.8 million, while the local walk brought in about $4,000. Fundraising is pledge-based, and Logan said the reason behind the increase over last year‘s total is likely two-fold: increased awareness of the local chapter, as well as the new possibility of making donations online. “That‘s where probably about 40-50 per cent of our money was raised,” Logan said. Top of Page |
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September 2, 2010, 8:22 am |