DONATE!!
Hi all,
I received this e-mail from Aimee Zeller, mother of my good friend Zach Dunlap, who passed away in April of 2006. Please take a moment to read her letter, and consider visiting the website she has provided.
Dear Family & Friends,
Please help me to remember Zach!
On June 21 I'll be joining hundreds of people at Progressive Field to walk in the annual "Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis" fundraising event sponsored by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The purpose of our walk is to raise awareness of Crohn's and colitis, and to raise money to fund research to wipe out these diseases.
Most of you know that my son Zach was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when he was 16 years old. Crohn's and colitis are debilitating, life-altering diseases of the digestive tract. Sufferers from these diseases, about 1.4 million in the US alone, must take strong medications to control the symptoms - pain, nausea, diarrhea, bleeding, fatigue, weight loss and more. Often the medications themselves cause serious side effects. Sadly, in Zach's case these medications masked the symptoms of an infection in his colon, and he became seriously ill without warning. By the time that Zach sought medical attention he was critically ill, and the doctors were unable to save his life.
Living with Crohn's and colitis is a constant struggle. Zach's last few years of life were shadowed by the symptoms of his disease and the side effects of his medications. Because Crohn's and colitis are difficult to discuss, they are frequently misunderstood. Currently, the cause is unknown and there is no cure. CCFA is the largest single private funder of Crohn's and colitis research and all of the money raised for research goes to research with extremely low overhead costs; so you can be sure that your contribution will go to top notch, peer reviewed research projects. All this is to reach our ultimate goal - a world free from Crohn's and colitis.
I want to make sure that other youngsters and adults don't have to face the physical and emotional problems that Zach faced.
Zach was a great son, brother, and friend. He was kind, fair, open-minded and non-judgmental. Help me to continue his legacy, so that he will be remembered for all of his best qualities. This is just the beginning of my work in Zach's name. Meghann, Zach's sister, and I have plans to start a foundation in Zach's name. But right now, please help us in the fight against Crohn's and colitis. If you would like to walk with me on June 21, please join my team, or if you are not able to walk, please give to this great cause as generously as you can! You can register to walk or contribute online at this link: http://www.active.com/donate/takestepsCleveland07/AZeller4. Our team name is "Friends of Zach Dunlap". If you prefer, send a check made payable to CCFA to me at 1501 Merrill Ave., Kent, OH 44240. (If clicking on the link does not work, try copying it and pasting it in a new browser window.) Feel free to forward this letter to anyone that you think would be interested in being a part of this cause.
Thank you for your support and friendship. This effort will mean so much to so many. It's nice to have you on our team.
With love and best wishes,
Aimee
I received this e-mail from Aimee Zeller, mother of my good friend Zach Dunlap, who passed away in April of 2006. Please take a moment to read her letter, and consider visiting the website she has provided.
Dear Family & Friends,
Please help me to remember Zach!
On June 21 I'll be joining hundreds of people at Progressive Field to walk in the annual "Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis" fundraising event sponsored by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The purpose of our walk is to raise awareness of Crohn's and colitis, and to raise money to fund research to wipe out these diseases.
Most of you know that my son Zach was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when he was 16 years old. Crohn's and colitis are debilitating, life-altering diseases of the digestive tract. Sufferers from these diseases, about 1.4 million in the US alone, must take strong medications to control the symptoms - pain, nausea, diarrhea, bleeding, fatigue, weight loss and more. Often the medications themselves cause serious side effects. Sadly, in Zach's case these medications masked the symptoms of an infection in his colon, and he became seriously ill without warning. By the time that Zach sought medical attention he was critically ill, and the doctors were unable to save his life.
Living with Crohn's and colitis is a constant struggle. Zach's last few years of life were shadowed by the symptoms of his disease and the side effects of his medications. Because Crohn's and colitis are difficult to discuss, they are frequently misunderstood. Currently, the cause is unknown and there is no cure. CCFA is the largest single private funder of Crohn's and colitis research and all of the money raised for research goes to research with extremely low overhead costs; so you can be sure that your contribution will go to top notch, peer reviewed research projects. All this is to reach our ultimate goal - a world free from Crohn's and colitis.
I want to make sure that other youngsters and adults don't have to face the physical and emotional problems that Zach faced.
Zach was a great son, brother, and friend. He was kind, fair, open-minded and non-judgmental. Help me to continue his legacy, so that he will be remembered for all of his best qualities. This is just the beginning of my work in Zach's name. Meghann, Zach's sister, and I have plans to start a foundation in Zach's name. But right now, please help us in the fight against Crohn's and colitis. If you would like to walk with me on June 21, please join my team, or if you are not able to walk, please give to this great cause as generously as you can! You can register to walk or contribute online at this link: http://www.active.com/donate/takestepsCleveland07/AZeller4. Our team name is "Friends of Zach Dunlap". If you prefer, send a check made payable to CCFA to me at 1501 Merrill Ave., Kent, OH 44240. (If clicking on the link does not work, try copying it and pasting it in a new browser window.) Feel free to forward this letter to anyone that you think would be interested in being a part of this cause.
Thank you for your support and friendship. This effort will mean so much to so many. It's nice to have you on our team.
With love and best wishes,
Aimee