CROHN’S & COLITIS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
FEATURES LARGEST LOCAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
Bay Area Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Patients and Families Will Attend a Day-Long Educational Symposium in South San Francisco
Keynote Address from Uma Mahadevan-Velayos, MD from UCSF
Breakout sessions on a variety of topics, including nutrition, pain management, pediatric Crohn's and colitis, surgery, self-advocacy for patients and loved ones, medications and more!
Ask your questions of a gastroenterologist, Social Security disability attorney, and nutritionist as well as representatives from local healthcare institutions at our Health Fair
"Buddy" Connection program to increase support
$12 for CCFA members and $18 for CCFA non-members
Includes lunch and admission to all sessions
SAN FRANCISCO – October 20, 2008 – The Northern California Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc. (CCFA) will feature a leading researcher on inflammatory bowel disease from the University of California, San Francisco, Uma Mahadevan-Velayos, MD as the keynote speaker at its Annual Bay Area Patient and Family Education Symposium on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The Symposium is Northern California’s largest education and support program for Crohn’s and colitis patients, with local experts presenting the latest medical, surgical and integrative treatments for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis at the acclaimed South San Francisco Conference Center.
A CHANCE FOR INFORMATION AND SUPPORT
In addition to featuring informative workshops on a variety of topics to manage the physical and psychosocial effects of Crohn’s and colitis, an innovative feature of the program is the “Buddy” Connection Program, where interested patients are matched up as “buddies” based on their age, disease diagnosis and disease severity. More information about the day’s program is available at http://california.ccfa.org.
IMPACT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are debilitating autoimmune digestive illnesses. Of the 1.5 million Americans who suffer from IBD, approximately 100,000 are children under the age of 18. The cause of IBD is not yet known and a cure does not exist. Physical and emotional challenges remain a significant part of the daily lives of those affected by IBD. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon, while Crohn's disease occurs in both the small intestine and colon. Symptoms range from mild to severe and include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, fever, and weight loss, arthritis, and eye, skin and liver disorders. Children with the disease may experience delayed growth.
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are unpredictable illnesses; some patients recover after a single attack, while others require frequent hospitalizations and surgeries. Left untreated, symptoms may worsen and can cause complications such as abscesses, obstruction, malnutrition and anemia. Colon cancer may be a serious complication of the disease. In addition, according to the American Gastroenterological Association, IBD economically burdens our society, costing more than $1.26 billion annually in direct and indirect costs.
ABOUT CCFA
The mission of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, founded in 1967, is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. For more information, contact the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America at www.ccfa.org or (800) 241-0758.
