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Kate Lee, Vice President, Research and Patient Programs, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is a national health charity. We’re on a relentless journey to help the over 322 ,000 Canadians living with these diseases. We were founded in 1974 by a group of parents whose children had these diseases. And imagine in 1974 how difficult it was to diagnose those diseases. Our promise is to find the cures and to improve the lives of everyone affected by these diseases. We do this through supporting research in Canada, as well as developing patient programs and support services to help everyone who reach out to us to support their journey.

Rebecca Voltan, Client, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

I found out about my diagnosis in 1997. I was in grade seven at the time, 11 years old, and I would say that it made me feel very isolated and confused. I was a child. I’d never been sick before. I didn’t really understand the symptoms that I was experiencing, and I didn’t know how

to ask for help at the time, so it was also followed by a lot of doctor’s appointments and missing a lot of school, so it did definitely feel very reclusive compared to all my friends. Mentally, because I’ve dealt with it for so long and you’re constantly running to and from the bathroom, I have severe anxiety. I worry about what I’m going to eat, when I’m going to eat, and how it’s going to affect me. And sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad. It also, I think, takes a

really big strain on your family. And I think there’s some things that you then feel responsible for. So that’s been interesting navigating. And I don’t think people understand that there are so many other things that could be a side effect of having Crohn’s or Colitis.

Kate Lee, Vice President, Research and Patient Programs, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative Colitis are chronic autoimmune diseases. This means that when someone is diagnosed with the disease, they live with the disease. It is an inflammatory disease that attacks the digestive tract, meaning sores throughout the digestive tract. This leads to symptoms such as chronic pain. It’s episodic, so it’s not necessarily always there, but because it’s episodic, it’s unpredictable. When people are in a flare experience, they’re in severe pain. It also leads to unpredictable bowel movements, diarrhea, bloody stools. So Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis patients also experience anemia, chronic fatigue, and also mental health issues.

Rebecca Voltan, Client, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada has made a difference in my life just to have a community to belong to. I think it’s really important to not feel isolated and I think with the foundation and with the apps and the ways that you can get connected, it definitely makes you feel like you have a community of people who understand what you’re going through on a daily basis.

Kate Lee, Vice President, Research and Patient Programs, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

We’ve been a member of Federated Health Charities since 1998, and we are so grateful for this partnership. With this partnership, Federated Health Charities has donated over $2 .4 million to our organization. That is a tremendous amount of support. And without the generous donations of those who actually donate to the Federated Health Charities, we wouldn’t be receiving those funds. And those funds go directly towards all our mission activities, supporting our researchers to find the cures, supporting us in terms of developing programs to support those living with IBD. So these will be programs such as mental health support, finding services in their region. Anything that they come to us, we’re here for them. And it’s through generous donations from those who donate directly to Federated Health Charities that we’re able to do this.

Rebecca Voltan, Client, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

Every dollar helps. Regardless, if you don’t think it’s going to make an impact, I think that, you know, it’s a start in the right direction and that you will be helping people, and they’ll appreciate it as much as I do. You make a difference in people’s worlds, and you probably don’t even know it on a daily basis and sometimes you think your money just goes away but it’s definitely helping people who need it.

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