Kitchener/Waterloo, ON … The Kitchener/Waterloo Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) launched its “Get Gutsy Campaign”: a community-based initiative to recruit new volunteers to help raise funds for vital research into the cause and cure of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

“Whether people are life-long volunteers or have never volunteered before, we are asking them to Get Gutsy. Get Involved,” stated Sheila Debly, Regional Director, Ontario, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada. “Volunteers are the heart and soul of the CCFC. They participate in core fundraising programs to support research in inflammatory bowel disease and provide important community-based education programs for IBD patients, their families, and health professionals. There is a lot of work to do, and we need volunteers in Kitchener/Waterloo to provide people in this community with the resources they need.” 

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two most frequently diagnosed inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), are severe chronic and painful diseases that affect the digestive system, causing the intestines to become inflamed, from ulcers, bleed and scar.  More than 200,000 Canadians of all ages, including a growing number of younger children under 15 years of age are affected by IBD.  Recent results from a CCFC-funded epidemiological study, “The Burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada,” show that Canada has one of the highest incidence rates of Crohn’s disease in the world.  The incidence and prevalence of ulcerative colitis are also among the highest.  The study also reveals that the cost of IBD in Canada is more than $1.8 billion and IBD causes an incredible burden on patients, their families and Canadian society.  There is no known cause or cure for IBD.

CCFC is looking for long-term volunteers who can contribute five to ten hours per month to the Foundation, as well as occasional volunteers who can support one or two local events each year.

“Over the years, I have volunteered for the CCFC in Kitchener/Waterloo on many occasions,” declared Liz Elliott.  The rewards of contributing to the search for a cure for IBD and to the much-needed support for IBD sufferers and their families are numerous. “You meet new people, make new friends, and learn new skills,” she added.

Placing volunteers in positions that suit and interest them is key to the Get Gutsy Campaign.  Volunteer applicants are asked to complete comprehensive questionnaires, either in person or online, about their likes and dislikes, skills and job preferences. Information on volunteering with the foundation is available on the CCFC website at www.ccfc.ca, including: a list of position openings, along with a description of the skill/type of personality best suited to it; and profiles and photos of current volunteers.

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is a voluntary, not-for-profit, medical research foundation dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. To realize this, CCFC is committed, first and foremost, to raising funds for medical research. The Foundation is also committed to educating IBD patients, their families, health professionals and the general public about the diseases. For more information about the CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca.