Hi Guys,

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This cause is very close to my heart. Most people do not talk about diseases of the bowel because it's embarrassing, some may say gross but I am going to because I want to bring awareness to the devastating condition that is inflammatory bowel disease which has turned my family's life upside down and affects so many people.

A few years ago my little sister was diagnosed with Crohn's and it has been an arduous journey pre and post her diagnosis for her and all of us who love her and have to watch her suffer.

For those of you that are not familiar with Crohn's it is an invisible, vicious illness that, as my sister would say 'you would not wish on your worst enemy'. It starts as inflammation of any part of the gut from the mouth through to the bowel and can rear it's head at anytime. Imagine someone burning you from the inside out, sitting on the toilet for hours at a time continuously passing blood - that's what my sister has to suffer from most days. She barely sleeps because she has to go the bathroom so many times and the pain can wake her at any given moment. There have been so many times when we have been out and she will suddenly need the bathroom urgently and stay there for over an hour- waiting in a queue is not an option. Hospital has become a second home for her from appointments, medication, emergency admissions for infections and Crohn's flares. Crohn's doesn't stop there though...It causes inflammation of joints resulting in arthritis, it can affect your vision, skin, liver, an overwhelming fatigue as though someone has sucked your energy out of you...this list goes on. 

The medical world still does not really understand what causes it and there is no cure. My sister has a healthy vegetarian diet but of course since having this illness is barely able to eat one or two meals a day. The few medicines that are available have limited effect and eventually stop working and involve suppressing her immune system which as a result means she is at risk of severe infections, TB and even cancer.  Even surgery does not cure it... you could cut out the entire bowel and it could flare up in another part of the body. 

Watching my sister have her energy and vitality taken away from her and not being able to do anything to take it away from her breaks my heart. If I was given the option I would take on the illness for her without a second look back but I cannot. A 10km walk may not sound much to people who run half marathons or full marathons for charity but for people with Crohn's a 10km walk is like doing a marathon because of how much energy it takes and how it impacts their joints. My sister is walking 10km and I want to walk with her, holding her hand to support her because unfortunately at this point that is all I can do. In turn I am asking you to support me and the Crohn's and Colitis charity so we can eventually find a cure for this life destroying illness. 

Thank you in advance,

Kav xxx