21st Annual Gutsy Walk

Abdominal cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, fever, anemia, bleeding, and fatigue are some of the debilitating symptoms experienced by people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In Saskatchewan, over 8000 people are living with these diseases.

On Sunday, June 5th, 2016, Yorkton residents will join Canadians from coast to coast in an effort to find a cure for these inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Every dollar raised through the 21st Annual Gutsy Walk will go towards Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Make it Stop. For Life national campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise $100 million for research, education, advocacy and patient support so that children and adults with IBD can live with less pain, less shame, and fewer hospital visits and surgeries.

Yorkton teacher Breanne Kelly, second year Yorkton Gutsy Walk Chair, is encouraging people to sign up and participate in Gutsy Walk. “I have always accepted having Crohn’s as part of my life. The part I have kept quiet is the complications that come with having the disease, Crohn’s can be painful, and awful and a real ‘pain in the butt’ but it’s the unpredictability, like how I eat one thing today and I feel great and eat the same thing tomorrow and it’s a war inside my digestive tract; how eating out for lunch has to come with a plan on how you’ll get through the afternoon. It’s hard to explain to new friends why you were just fine yesterday or this morning but today or later in the day, you woke up exhausted or sick for absolutely no reason other than your body has decided to attack itself. I want the world to know about these diseases, so that person you work with, that child you teach, that child of yours, that family member or person you just met can have a bit more of your understanding.”

Gutsy Walk events will be held in six Saskatchewan communities, including Yorkton. The Yorkton Gutsy Walk will start at 2:00 p.m. at Brodie Winchester Pathway (registration begins at noon with warm up at 1:45) with options for a 4 km walk and a 5 km run.  The family-friendly event will include a BBQ. Registration is free.

For more information about Gutsy Walk, or to register, visit www.gutsywalk.ca.

For more information about Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, visit www.crohnsandcolitis.ca.