Hundreds of Calgarians walk to raise money for invisible illnesses
CTV
Two hundred people laced up their sneakers and walked along a pathway in the northwest community of Montgomery to participate in the Gutsy Walk.
Two hundred people laced up their sneakers and walked along a pathway in the northwest community of Montgomery to participate in the Gutsy Walk.
The event raises money and awareness for Crohn's and Colitis.
These are diseases that inflame the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and disrupt your body's ability to digest food, absorb nutrition, and eliminate waste in a healthy manner.
They are lifelong disease and people can experience acute periods of active symptoms and other times their symptoms are absent.
“Something difficult to believe about Crohn's and Colitis is it's an invisible illness. Someone might not be feeling well, and you can't really tell if you look at them so it's really important to raise awareness about the disease in that context,” said Calgary Crohn's and Colitis Canada chapter president Yas Habibyn.
Signs and symptoms can include abdominal pain and cramping; severe diarrhea; rectal bleeding; blood in stool; weight loss and diminished appetite.
The exact cause remains unknown so there is no cure.
