Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Do you know what it is? Do you know what symptoms people suffer from? Do you know that 1.4 million Americans have IBD, and that it can affect both children and adults alike? The gastroenterology team at Swedish takes care of both children and adults who suffer with this chronic, disease of the gastrointestinal tract.
As the pediatric gastroenterology nurse who works intimately with the pediatric IBD patients at Swedish, I know all too well that many can suffer with the “ups and downs” of this sometimes debilitating disease. Often, I tend to hear from kids when they are “down”, but my favorite time to hear from them is when they are excited about upcoming special events like the “Take Steps” walk, or Camp Oasis (a camp just for kids with IBD), both events sponsored by the CCFA. It’s often at these events, that children first say that they start to feel “normal”.
This year, we want to invite you to help us support our patients by coming to the “Take Steps, Be Heard for Crohn's & Colitis” walk. It will be held in Seattle’s beautiful Magnuson Park on Sunday, June 7th at 3:30 p.m. Swedish has several teams participating; I am proud to be the team captain for the pediatric team, nicknamed, “Swedish Squirts”. The walk will be fun and easy, and give you a wonderful chance to learn more about this disease and offer support to find a cure.
I hope you will be able to take steps with us this year (join SWEDISH SQUIRTS!) but even if you can’t make it to the walk, please consider donating, as funds help fund research to find a cure, so that patients and families can stop suffering.
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