Olivia    Lathrop from    Bend is inspiring people in the Central Oregon area to participate     in the Crohn’s    & Colitis Foundation’s Northwest Chapter’s    Take Steps Walk on October     4 at 2:30pm at  Riverbend Park. Olivia is living with Crohn’s disease which combined with ulcerative colitis are painful, debilitating digestive diseases impacting over 1.4 million American adults and    children, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Over 11,000 of    these patients    live right here    in Oregon.

Olivia Lathrop, our Take Steps Bend Honored Hero, is 19    years old and    has been battling    Crohn’s Disease since she was 9. A  recent college grad from Central Oregon Community    College and a veteran ballet    student with 16 years    of experience    she is    working hard to    spread    the word and    help others.

“I am getting involved    with Take Steps because I want to do more in my    hometown to    raise

awareness. I have battled this disease for 10 years of my    life and personally know the challenges that life with Crohn’s makes,” Lathrop said. “Without the CCFA research and new    medications on the market for patients like    me, I would not be taking steps at all. I know it’s not a matter of if they    will find a cure, but when.”

Thousands of    people    will gather this  spring at nearly 80 walk sites across the country to    join the fight  against    Crohn’s disease and    ulcerative colitis. The    walks are family friendly    festivals with activities for everyone    including bands, games, activities, food and a leisurely    walk through a park or community. Take Steps has raised    over $40 million for research    and    patient    support services and    is committed    to transforming the lives of those impacted    by    these    diseases and    leading them to a brighter future through well-funded, cutting-edge scientific research.

For more information    on how to get    involved with Take Steps Bend please visit

www.cctakesteps.org/bend or contact Kristen Baxter at 505-715-7610 or     [email protected].

About    Take Steps

Take    Steps    is the Crohn’s    & Colitis Foundation    of America’s national    walk program. These    walks    raise funds for critical  research and  increase awareness    of Crohn’s disease and    ulcerative colitis, painful and    unpredictable    digestive diseases. Thousands of people will    gather    this year at 170 Take    Steps    walks    nationwide to    join the fight against    Crohn’s    and colitis.The walks    are family friendly festivals with activities for everyone including games,    music,    and great food. Funds raised  through Take Steps    will help transform the lives    of    those    impacted by these diseases,    and support CCFA’s    critical    research, education,    and    patient    support programs. Walk with    us today: get started    at www.cctakesteps.org.        Take    Steps    is supported    in 2014 by Abbvie, our platinum sponsor.About Crohn’s disease    and ulcerative    colitis Crohn’s    disease and ulcerative colitis    are painful, medically    incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn’s    disease may attack anywhere from    the    mouth    to the anus, 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    hospitalization    and surgery.

These    illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon  cancer in patients with    long-term disease. Some 1.4  million American adults and  children suffer from    Crohn’s    disease or ulcerative    colitis,    with as many    as 150,000 under the    age of 18. Most people    develop the diseases    between the ages of 15 and 35.

About    the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America

The Crohn’s &  Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is the largest voluntary non-profit health

organization dedicated to finding cures for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD).    CCFA’s mission is to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve    the quality of life of children and adults who suffer from these diseases. The Foundation works to fulfill its mission by funding research, providing educational resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public, and furnishing supportive services for those afflicted with IBD. For more information, visit www.ccfa.org, call 888-694-8872, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccfafb and www.facebook.com/ccfatakesteps, or follow CCFA and Take Steps on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccfa and www.twitter.com/takesteps.

Kristen Baxter | Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America