Crohn's Rides?

[Aggie_Ama]

My DH was diagnosed Monday with Crohn's disease. Now I want to find a ride to channel my energy into. My father recently finished chemo for colon cancer, so the foundation for Crohn's would help that too.

The only thing I can find is the "Get Your Guts in Gear". Two problems- the only two rides are FAR away and you have to raise a lot of money. My goal is to raise a lot of money, but to get two people to raise $3700 combined is a tall task. Anyone know of other rides?

[Veronica]

Did you find dates for the rides for 2007?

V.

[Aggie_Ama]

Well I was thinking for 2007. I don't see the ride dates, but it is a long time to attempt to fund raise.

It is just something I am so passionate about. My Dad has colon cancer, my Pawpaw had colon cancer, DH has Crohn's, obviously I have a vested interest in the Crohn's and Colitis foundation. I want to find away to help but committing to $1850 a person is daunting.

[velogirl]

Get your Guts in Gear -- just cracks me up. I know, it's a serious disease, but what a funny (and almost disgusting) name.

If you can't find a fundraising ride, you could always do something on your own. Or, you could participate in a different organized ride, but have a fundraising campaign that benefits the Chron's Foundation and run it through one of the various fundraising sites. I know other athletes who've done that.

Good luck to you and my thoughts go out to your father as well!

[Veronica]

I'd never heard of the ride before. My sister has Crohn's and so the ride intrigued me.

2007 is kind of full for me, but the idea is percolating.

V.

[tygab]

Well I was thinking for 2007. I don't see the ride dates, but it is a long time to attempt to fund raise.

It is just something I am so passionate about. My Dad has colon cancer, my Pawpaw had colon cancer, DH has Crohn's, obviously I have a vested interest in the Crohn's and Colitis foundation. I want to find away to help but committing to $1850 a person is daunting.

You can do it. This amount is more than some charity rides, less than others. It does seem daunting at first, but just let everyone you can think of know that you're doing it and why, and explain that any amount will help. You will be surprised by the generosity of some. Plus, completing the fundraising is part of the challenge, so think of how much it will mean to finish both goals. You should plan things you can do to raise money, like - can you provide a service where proceeds will go to the ride, or organize a donated goods sale, or a raffle (my husband did this for the PMC). Ask family, friends, any groups you belong to etc. My husband and I had to raise $5000 for our ride, and we were first timers...

I say commit to it and make it happen! As for it being far away, that may be more of an obstacle, but I'd bet there are plenty of riders who come from other areas. I know the PMC draws from something like 38 states.

[Trek420]

Aggie_A,

It's very do-able. (((hugs))) to DH. My sister and my neice both have Crohns and both ride. Thanks for doing this.

[Aggie_Ama]

Well now the gears are turning. The Seattle ride would give me a long time to prepare both in fundraising and the trip.

The other thing I am wondering is how one begins an organized ride? Do you contact the LBS? The local cycling club? It just seems like everywhere I turn I meet someone who knows someone with Crohn's, why not have a ride in the Southwest? I am not sure this is something I would be ready to take on, but it seems like something to put my heart into.

I am going to keep researching ways to pedal and raise money for CCFA. Right now DH is beginning Remicade, but I don't want to have him on it forever. There must be a way to find a cure. It is a pretty hard diagnosis to take, so I am channeling my frustration elsewhere.

[LBTC]

Well, it looks like Canada has a ride/run/walk called the Wheel 'n Heel a Thon
http://www.ccfc.ca/English/fundraising/hnwfacts.htm

There was one in Kelowna last June, only a 30 minute drive away. I'll probably look into that one...

Check out how it is done here and see if there's a way to do it this way in your area?

Glad to have found others dealing with this disease, thanks for wanting to help!

Hugs and butteflies,
~T~

[CycleSeashore]

I'm new here and fairly new to cycling. My husband and I just signed up for the NYC ride in June, and so far, we have had nothing but positive experiences with GYGIG.

The organization supports about 5 different charities that support people with Crohn's and Colitis, not just the CCFA. The ostomy association is one of them. When writing the fundraising letter, we were told that it was incorrect to say that the ride supports drug research...it primarily supports the search for a cure as well as patients struggling with IBD. I believe there was a recent announcement for a study just completed at Yale that identified the genes involved in Crohn's/Colitis. CCFA was one of the sponsors, but not the only one.

As to fundraising, it *is* daunting that we have to raise about $2000. That is why we decided that my husband would ride and I would help with the crew (crew members don't have to fundraise). We're really not sure how it's going to go. BUT -- you are not left to struggle on your own with that. If you join the ride, GYGIG gives you a fundraising newsletter with lots of ideas. There is also a yahoo forum where riders can share what worked or didn't work for them. Personally, we're going to put out an envelope in the lunchrooms of our workplaces, have little buttons on our blogs asking for support, and may ask local bike shops if we can hang up a flyer or two. I'll also bet there's a local Crohn's support group that you could meet with, who would be happy to help sponsor your ride or get the word out for you. Some of the patients are too sick to ride, or not interested in riding, but might help financially, since they are as interested in a cure as you are. And it would be great to meet others who are going through the same struggles that you and your husband are facing.

Amanda, I hope you will give the Texas ride a try. This is our first ever charity ride, and we're nervous too, but I think it's going to be a great experience.