Kicking Butt For Crohns 5k

The 8th annual Kicking Butt for Crohn's 5k is a road race that benefits Crohn's & Colitis Foundation  (CCFA.org). Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that affect the gastrointestinal system and cause pain and malnourishment. They require numerous invasive tests, specific medications, and, many times, a restricted diet. While Crohn's and UC are not well-known diseases, they affect at least 1.4 million Americans, many of them children. There is no known cause, although there appears to be some genetic link, and at this time, there is no cure. 

The designer of this race is avid runner, James Canzano, age 20, who was inspired by his two sisters who are dealing with Crohn's disease. His oldest sister has been dealing with it for 8 years and his youngest sister for 5 years. While he can't ease their suffering during flares or hospitalizations, he decided he could raise money to help fund research at CCF, monies which will one day lead to a breakthrough in quality of life and a cure. James is determined, along with the rest of his family, to turn the challenging circumstances into something positive.