| John Mitty Tuesday, January 22, 2013 |
GARDEN CITY, NY (1/24/2013) — In 2009, when Jessica Karen was in fifth grade, she began to experience terrible stomach pains. Her doctors were not sure what was causing the pain and did not agree with Jessica’s mothers’ suspicions that she was displaying symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), despite the fact that there was a history of the disease in the family. IBD is an umbrella term for diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are medically incurable and attack the digestive system.
On her 13th birthday, Jessica ended up in the emergency room with excruciating stomach pain. After a colonoscopy and endoscopy, the doctors confirmed what Jessica’s mom seemed to know all along—Jessica had Crohn’s disease.
For the 1.4 million Americans suffering from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis like Jessica, the pain, daily medications and hospital visits can greatly interfere with life. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere along the digestive track, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever, weight loss and fatigue. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. Along with Crohn’s disease, Jessica also suffers from other systemic complications that often come with the disease like painful kidney stones. Every day is a struggle, yet she try to stay focused on getting better. Fortunately, Jessica has a large support system made up of my school friends, her siblings and her parents.
“It is a balancing act,” says Jessica, “trying to juggle Crohn’s disease, AP classes and typical teenage strife.”
Since her diagnosis, Jessica and her parents have been involved with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Now, Jessica is being honored for her strength and leadership.
Jessica is joining forces with Team Challenge—CCFA’s endurance training program—which equips all team members with everything they need to cross the finish line, including four months of training from professional coaches. She will be training to run 13.1 miles along side her father, Steve, in Napa Valley to raise awareness and necessary funds to help find a cure.
Please join Jessica, her father and the rest of Team Challenge this season to help wipe out these terrible diseases!
For more information, contact the Rachel Dash at the CCFA Long Island Chapter:
(516) 222-5530 or visit www.ccteamchallenge.org.
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