Linda's Story
After living with Crohn's disease for 25 years my GI doctor in Michigan suggested I begin a support group. Little did I know that starting a CCFA Chapter in Lansing would benefit me as well as the patients who attended. I believe that we need support from others to live with a chronic illness but we must educate as well. I held monthly meetings for patients and their families and provided lists of recommended reading, showed videos, and talked about my own experience. When I contacted the newspaper and TV stations they told me that they would give me PR when I had a fundraiser to promote. I then realized that the best way to get the word out about Crohn's and Colitis is to hold fundraisers.
Because I was a committee of just me, I did it all. I wrote to tons of famous people and received all kinds of amazing items for the silent auction. The biggest items I received were 2 round-trip tickets from an airline. The woman at the airline called to tell me that they receive 2,000 letters a month and out of those, they picked mine. With these items, I held a bowl-a-thon/silent auction and raised several thousand dollars.
I also was able to show my appreciation for my GI of 20 years by naming him Physician of the Year. I had a movie gala (which they do a lot of in Michigan). His colleagues and family came, I presented him with a plaque which my daughter gave to him, we had food donated and everyone was given movie passes to see the movie of their choice. I asked everyone for donations to be included in the program we passed out - my dentist, insurance carrier, friends, relatives, everyone. Raised quite a bit for that event too which was satisfying.
In order to raise awareness about Crohn's disease, we must reach out to those with the disease as well as to the public to educate them on this illness. I'm having a set back now and am back on steroids which prompts me to work even harder for this walk and to make the people of Rochester aware of what the CCFA is doing to help us. I hope you will join me on May 16 at East Silver Lake Park in Rochester by registering today to raise awareness and funds to keep the mission of CCFA going in our own community!
The video below was posted on the Mayo Clinic's blog. Click on the link to read the whole story!
From Mayo blog: http://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2009/09/10/becoming-an-employee-after-35-years-as-a-mayo-patient/
~Linda , Rochester Take Steps 2010
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