Time to clear up any misconceptions

Welcome friends and family!  And if I don't already know you, you are looking at this page so I'm going to consider you friend and/or family anyways. Hope you are OK with that.

So yes, here's our fundraising blog.  I'll get into more detail in future entries, but as many of you know my family has been hit hard by ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the two forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  I'll spare you all the full health lecture, but basically these two diseases are thought to be autoimmune diseases where the immune system goes nuts and attacks the gastrointestinal tract.  As a patient, let me confirm that the resulting symptoms are JUST as fun as they sound.  Basically if you see me scurrying towards the bathroom, get out of the way.  It's better for everyone. 

So anyways, the mister (and yes, this blog is the return of the genius behind The Mister Speaks!  He's back folks!) and I are going to Napa to race in a half marathon with the proceeds going to research.  Now, I know what you're thinking--Katie loves wine.  So what, she's got an incurable illness and her dad died of Crohn's.  She just wants wine.  There's no way in heck I'm donating just to fund the Katie and Michael Go To Wine Country Vacation.  These thoughts are valid, but my friends, you are off on Katie and Michael Go To Wine Country Vacation--that vacation is NEXT year, for our 10 year anniversary!  I know we're such the perfect couple (does sarcasm come through on this?) that you might think we'd been together 10 years, but we've got another year to go. 

This journey isn't about wine. It isn't about California.  It is really, truly and absolutely all about research.  It is about making sure that no family EVER goes through what my family went through.  It is about making sure that patients receive necessary education and that their families are supported.  It is about providing camps for kids so that they get a week where they get to be normal.  These are all important goals and the destination is just a side benefit. I'd be doing this same race program regardless of location.  Research programs for Crohn's and ulcerative colitis aren't sexy.  No one really talks about these diseases and as a result there is very little funding, despite the fact that there are 1.4 million Americans with these diseases.

So come along with us on this journey.  We'll be blogging about our adventures and why this cause is so important to us.  In addition to raising money, our goal is to raise awareness about these diseases.  Please consider donating, please share this site and the link and if you're in the Kansas City area, we're planning a few events so you can have fun AND help a great cause so make sure to "like" Team Golden Colon on Facebook as well.