 | | NFL Quarterback David Garrard In the Zone for Crohn's:
Scoring touchdowns for CCFA this fall Pro quarterback David Garrard of the Jacksonville Jaguars knows first-hand the painful, debilitating and often embarrassing effects of Crohn's disease. After being diagnosed in 2004, Garrard took control of his disease and led his team to two consecutive playoff appearances. He's now working to help others living with Crohn's disease and raising money for disease-specific research, education, and support while pursuing his dreams of a career as a quarterback for a professional football team. As part of the "In the Zone for Crohn's" campaign Centocor, Inc. will donate $10,000 to CCFA, each time Garrard completes a touchdown pass and each time he scores a touchdown in the 2008 season. Watch Garrard speak about the program and this NFL season, track his performance here.
CCFA-Funded Research Finds Potential New Path to CureIt has long been speculated that intestinal epithelial cells play a critical role in the development of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Funding from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation enabled Harvard Medical School-based investigators and an international team to demonstrate how the lack of the XBP1 gene disables the normal communication between intestinal epithelial cells and gut bacteria, resulting in dysfunctional immune response and disease. They developed an experimental mouse model to test the role of this gene as a risk factor for the currently incurable digestive diseases affecting millions of people around the world, which include Crohn's and colitis. In the September 5 issue of the journal Cell, the team led by Richard Blumberg, MD, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, reported on their discovery of this new genetic risk factor for development of Crohn's and colitis. "These exciting studies elucidate a novel pathway that underlies the development of IBD. Combined with the new mouse model, we have a unique means to develop new classes of therapeutics to treat both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis," says Dr. Blumberg. Read more here and learn how CCFA funds critical research.
Register for Team Challenge's  Half Marathon Training:
Help raise funds for Crohn's and colitis researchGet ready to cross the finish line at the ING Miami Half Marathon on January 25 with Team Challenge, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's half marathon training program. This life-changing training raises funds to find a cure for the 1.4 million Americans who suffer from chronic and painful diseases that attack the digestive system. Our certified coaches will help you get ready to run or walk the Miami half marathon with all the support you'll need. Register to attend an info meeting in your area. New Study Further Confirms Pediatric Crohn's Varies by Age of OnsetA study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that children who develop Crohn's disease before the age of 5 years have a different disease course than children with disease onset after age 6. "This study further confirms that one manner in which the different forms of Crohn's disease are manifested is by the age of onset," says Joel Rosh, MD, Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology at Goryeb Children's Hospital and Chair, CCFA Pediatric Education Committee. "Until CCFA sponsored and other current research projects fully give us the tools to best define exact disease sub-types, every child with IBD remains unique and it is important that they be monitored by a pediatric gastroenterologist." For more information on this study, on pediatric disease course, or to find a pediatric gastroenterologist, call 888.MY.GUT.PAIN or visit our Information Resource Center.
Start Spreading Holiday JoyOrder cards throughout September and receive complimentary envelope personalization!
 A card at the holidays can mean so much. This year, choose holiday cards that show you care -- not just for the recipient, but for the millions of people who suffer from Crohn's and colitis. When you purchase holiday greeting cards through the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, proceeds benefit research, education, and support. And, throughout the month of September, receive complimentary envelope personalization when you make your purchase.
New Advocacy Tools Now Available:
Take action for a future free from Crohn's & colitis We have relaunched the Advocacy section of our web site with new features and outreach tools. These new tools will help you actively influence the policies that affect the Crohn's and colitis community. It also contains updated legislative information, empowering you to have an active role in the political process while building relationships with elected officials in Congress. Learn more and take action today.
Life with Crohn's:
Patients Share Stories of Struggle and Hope in NYTimes.com FeatureRecently posted NYTimes.com interactive feature helps shed light on the emotional and physicial aspects of life with chronic digestive disease. Listen to and watch seven Crohn's disease patients from all over the United States as they share their stories of struggle of hope. Tune in here.
"Tips for Building a Support Network"
Webcast Replay Now OnlineListen to a replay of a recent interactive HealthTalk.com webcast featuring CCFA's Vice President of Patient & Professional Services, Kim Frederick, MSW, LSCW, and Jackie Spencer, MSW, Manager of CCFA's Information Resource Center, and receive insight and expert advice on building and expanding a personal support network. The webcast provides a wealth of information and resources on a variety of support topics, including establishing a medical proxy; how to access and maintain your personal medical records; online and telephone resources; finding a physician; how to approach support network members; and much more. Listen now.
NIH-Funded and CCFA-Supported Research Leads to Discovery: 21 New Genes Associated with Crohn's DiseaseA consortium of researchers from the United States, Canada, and Europe has identified 21 new genes for Crohn's disease, a chronic disease of the large and small intestines. This discovery, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), brings the total number of known genes associated with Crohn's disease to more than 30 and advances understanding of causes and potential avenues to develop new treatments. Read the report and read more on recent research advancements from our Chief Medical Advisor in The Boston Globe.
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