Kelowna Gutsy Walk brings invisible disease into public eye

The Gutsy Walk returned to Kelowna’s waterfront to fundraise for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

According to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, one in 140 Canadians lives with inflammatory bowel disease — the highest rate in the world. Children under 15 years old hold the majority of those being diagnosed.

“It’s not something that people want to sit down and talk about in public or talk about it around the dinner table. It’s not an easy topic,” said Gerald Deveer, Okanagan Crohn’s and Colitis Canada chapter president.

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The walk not only raises awareness but it also helps those diagnosed with the disease to feel support from the community.

“It’s helped me have that confidence. It’s raising awareness; people see the purple shirts, people see everything going on and they get into that mindset and help make an invisible disease more visible,” said Casey Walker, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis when she was 11 years old.

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“I think it’s not necessarily the prettiest disease where it’s a little bit harder. I know for myself I have had some different treatments that I am easily embarrassed by, but not everyone is, which is great. It’s all about breaking that stigma and removing the embarrassment.”

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are diseases that inflame the gastrointestinal lining and disrupt the ability to digest food, absorb nutrients and eliminate waste in a healthy manner, according to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

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“One of the things people find the most challenging about inflammatory bowel disease is the unpredictability of it. Symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea can be really problematic, and especially the urgency to need to go to the bathroom,” said Dr. Robert Penner, gastroenterologist.

Before taking off on the walk, Deveer said they had already raised $27,000 and expected to reach their goal of $31,000 toward research to help find a cure.