FORT WORTH – Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis are painful, incurable diseases that affect the lives of approximately 70,000 adults and 6,500 children in Texas, and the numbers are growing. Many of those afflicted in Tarrant County will soon take to the streets, along with friends and supporters, to raise money for research and a potential cure. The annual Fort Worth Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis walk will be held Oct. 19, 2013, starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Trinity Park Shelter House, 2300 W. Seventh St. in Fort Worth.
This year, Julie Dubois, a Fort Worth resident, was chosen as the walk’s Honored Hero. Dubois was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 22. Now, she is walking with her family and friends to raise funds and awareness for this debilitating digestive disease.
“Julie Dubois is a great inspiration to the Crohn’s & colitis community,” said Kris Eschman, senior walk manager. “Surprisingly, these diseases are not very well known, yet they take a tremendous toll on people’s lives.”
Known collectively as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affects 1 in 200 people. They are painful, medically incurable diseases that attack the digestive system. Crohn’s disease may attack anywhere along the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require numerous hospitalizations and surgery. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35; however, the incidence is increasing in children.
Julie Dubois was selected as this year’s Honored Hero because she truly exemplifies courage, commitment and perseverance in the face of adversity. Julie knows the struggles and challenges of living with a debilitating, unpredictable digestive disease every day, but it hasn’t stopped her from keeping a positive outlook and persevering in her life and in pursuit of her goals to be a physician assistant. She is an inspiration to other patients who struggle to come to terms with their disease and a role model for anyone looking to make a difference in the journey to cure digestive diseases. Julie is also a volunteer at Camp Oasis, a camp for children and teens living with IBD.
“I feel that I have been able to use my diagnosis to spread awareness and create hope in others that you can live a vibrant and successful life with IBD,” DuBois said.
