
Living Well With IBD Hampton Roads Patient Symposium
Join CCFA and local IBD specialists for a FREE informational presentation and interactive question-and-answer session.
Topics Include: The Ins and Outs of Clinical Trials IBD Diagnosis and Treatments
Date: Saturday, April 13, 2013 Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM Location: Childrens Hospital of The King's Daughters Brickhouse Auditorium 601 Childrens Lane Norfolk, VA 23507

You, Me, and IBD: A Shared Vision For Healthy Living
Join CCFA and local IBD specialists for a FREE informational presentation and interactive question-and-answer session.
Topics Include: Aggressive vs. More Conservative Drug Approaches Health Maintenance & Prevention Alternative & Complementary Therapy Nutrition: You Are What You Eat Women & IBD IBD & Surgery
Date: Sunday, April 21, 2013 Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Holy Cross Hospital Professional & Community Education Center 1500 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20910


Decision Making Program Archive Now Available!
It's Up To You: Decisions & Management, a telephone/web education program which took place on Thursday, December 6, 2012 is now available on our website. This program, presented by David Schwartz, MD of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, explored how to effectively manage IBD through treatment and lifestyle choices.

Richmond Take Steps
Take Steps Richmond is in full swing, make sure you don’t miss out on the fun! We are excited for a new walk location this year, North Shore Commons in Innsbrook, conveniently located close to I-64 and 295 with easy access for all.
Richmond has a fundraising goal of $65,000 this year and we need your help to get there. Have you ever thought about registering for Take Steps but just thought fundraising might be hard or that it might not be for the whole family? Well we are here to help; Take Steps is a family friendly event with a large Kid Zone, live music, and great food for our fundraising participants. Monies raised during the Take Steps campaign go to support cutting edge research to find better treatments and most of all a cure for IBD.
Join us today and register! All new teams that register between March 4th and March 17th will receive a prize!
As we approach the walk we want to take a minute to thank those that help us reach our goals! Thank you to our sponsors.

Make sure you visit The Center for Digestive Health website.
A big thank you and welcome back to Crystal Ice, Co and join me in welcoming Gastrointestinal Specialist, Inc., who have joined us as a sponsor and team this year. We are excited to have you all!
Register for the Walk Now
Date: April 28, 2013 Location: Innsbrook, North Shore Commons 4951 Lake Shore Drive Glen Allen, VA 23060 Registration: 3:00pm Walk Start: 4:00pm

For additional information, please email Joslynn Broun at jbroun@ccfa.org.
National Capital Area Take Steps
As we kick of 2013 we are thrilled to announce the continued support and partnership with Capital Digestive Care (CDC). Since 2009 CDC has supported CCFA as the presenting sponsor for the National Capital Area Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis walk. In addition to their corporate commitment, each of the CDC divisions engages in fundraising activities, donating 100% of the proceeds to Take Steps. To date, CDC has directed more than $150,000 to CCFA in support of critical education, research and awareness programs.

The Capital Digestive Care integrated health care model connects their Gastroenterologists to both a specialized pathology laboratory and the largest clinical research program of its kind in the region. Their team of fellowship trained, board certified pathologists focuses exclusively on the diagnosis of gastrointestinal and liver disease and their clinical research division has conducted more than 300 studies in all areas of gastroenterology. With so many specialists, connected, communications are enhanced, leading to a better understanding of each patient's individual condition and the most effective plan of care. In addition, in 2010, 25 Capital Digestive Care physicians were recognized by their peers as “Top Doctors” in Washingtonian magazine, more than any other practice in the area.
Stay tuned…
We’re in the process of planning our exciting and fun Take Steps Kick Off parties, so stay tuned and keep a eye out for your invitation!
Still not registered? Don’t worry, it’s not too late! Register today and join us as we TAKE STEPS toward a cure!
Date: June 22, 2013 Location: Washington Monument Grounds Registration: 4:30pm Walk Start: 5:30pm

For additional information, please email Heather Palmer at hpalmer@ccfa.org.

Team Challenge Virginia Wine Country
This month, Team Challenge is highlighting a few early-bird fundraisers from the chapter's South Potomac team. Next month's newsletter will feature our North Potomac team members. Taking first place are Sarah and Brian Kubicki, who have already raised over $5,600! Fellow teammates Amy Forrest and Jennifer Elwell are starting strong at $2,125 and $1,940, respectively. Fantastic job, top fundraisers!
Our Team Challenge managers would also like to recognize the Taylors - a very special Team Challenge family. At just 14 years old, daughter Alli Taylor has already endured a lifetime of difficulties resulting from her battle with IBD. Alli was hospitalized four times in 2012 and has endured a number of serious complications and failed treatments. Her medications leave her sometimes unable to walk (or dance!) and Alli had to miss out on the first quarter of her freshman year of high school. Today, things are looking up for Alli, and her most recent treatment plan has allowed her to live symptom-free since December.
Four members of Alli's family have joined Team Challenge and are currently training and fundraising in her honor. Even five-year-old Jonathon Taylor is helping out by collecting spare change in his kindergarten class.
To read the Taylors' story and help support their fundraising efforts, check out: http://www.active.com/donate/VA13/VABTaylor and http://www.active.com/donate/VA13/VAJTaylor1
For more information about Team Challenge, please email Amanda Nover at anover@ccfa.org or Michael Kollenberg at mkollenberg@ccfa.org.

Experience the Magic of Camp Oasis... One Moment at a Time
June 18 - 23, 2013
Camp Oasis is a co-ed residential camp for kids with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Our 2013 session will be held at Camp Tall Timbers in High View, WV.
The 2013 Camp Oasis applications are now available online for campers (grades 2 - 10 in fall 2013), Leaders in training (grades 11 - 12 in Fall 2013), and volunteers (age 18+).
Click here to apply or to learn more about this exciting program, for additional information, contact Caneka McNeil, Mid-Atlantic Regional Education & Support Manager at cmcneil@ccfa.org or 703-865-6130.
All applications and forms must be received by April 12, 2013.

Come visit CCFA at the NBC Health & Fitness Expo on March 16 & 17 at the Washington Convention.

Uceris Available for UC Patients
On January 14th the Food & Drug Administration approved the drug UCERIS (Budesonide) for the induction of remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. Uceris can be used for patients who are not responding to other medications prescribed for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
"In patients that are not responding to 5-ASAs or cannot use 5-ASAs with mild to moderate disease activity, Uceris may be used as an alternative to prednisone for inducing remission," says Dr. Faten N. Aberra. "Uceris is only indicated for inducing remission for up to 8 weeks and not a maintenance medication. "The medication will be available to the public in March 2013. For more details on this new medication check out the Santarus website.
Escape The Stall Campaign Featured in the New York Times
Check out the article!
CCFA Partners - Improving the Quality of Life for IBD Patients
CCFA Partners is an ambitious program from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) designed to improve the quality of life for patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through research and education. We plan to enroll at least 10,000 or more patients in an online registry to obtain a better understanding of issues facing IBD patients, how they are functioning, what they eat, and how they receive treatment in different areas of the country. We use this network to provide topics for patients to discuss with their physicians and to help improve their quality of life.
Enroll Today!
Young Professionals
Are you an IBD patient in your 20s or 30s? Are you looking to meet
others like you? Are you looking for education and support and ways you
can support the Greater Washington DC/VA Chapter? Contact greaterwashingtondc@ccfa.org for more information.
Seeking Mentors
The
Chapter is still looking for mentors for the Power of Two Program. This is a support program where
volunteers provide adults and supervised children with Crohn’s disease
or ulcerative colitis, parents of children with IBD, and other family
members with one-on-one phone or email support.
If you are interested in serving as a mentor and would like more information, please contact Caneka McNeil, Mid-Atlantic Regional Education & Support Manager, at cmcneil@ccfa.org.
|