Tag Archives: CCFA

Super Poopers –CCFA Take Steps 2018

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Yesterday, I was fortunate to participate in Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) “Take Steps” walk with a big contingent of our team.  A shout out to Melissa Sheffer who was honored as Adult Volunteer of the year and to Jacqueline Akin who was honored as a pediatric hero.

Melissa along with Dr. Larry Saripkin (not pictured but also at event/walk) have been the crucial volunteers to run Camp Oasis for the last 14 years.  Jacqueline said in her speech that she is followed by our team and also described some of the issues she has faced in trying to manage Crohn’s disease.

Also, I want to thank Jacob Schoeff and Dr. Dinesh Patel for team leadership and organizing our participation.  Great work!

For those so inclined, it’s not too late to donate to our CCFA team: CCFA Super Poopers Donation Link

Camp Oasis 2017: Don’t Tell Me the Sky’s the Limit

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For many years, our group has helped out at Camp Oasis, a week-long camp for children with inflammatory bowel disease.  Among our physicians, Dr. Larry Saripkin has devoted more time than anyone else for about 15 years and he does such a great job. Over the years, our nurses and many other office staff have participated as well. Here are a couple photos from this year’s camp:

 

Don’t Tell Me the Sky’s the Limit When There are Footsteps on the Moon!  –one of many painted rocks

Ft Yargo State Park (location of Camp Oasis)

Guts and Valentines?

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I learned this week that the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) was founded in part  based on a love story:

From CCFA: Irwin M. Rosenthal, one of the visionary co–founders of CCFA, and Suzanne were due to be married in a few months time when suddenly Suzanne became very ill. Motivated by her struggle with Crohn’s disease, Irwin, along with William and Shelby Modell, and Dr. Henry D. Janowitz, established the Foundation for Research in Ileitis, now known as the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.

To send an CCFA eValentine: CCFA Valentine E-card

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Another Big Study: No Link between MMR vaccine and Autism (Plus one)

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In a study with 95,727 children, there was no link between receipt of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and autism, even in children at high risk (eg. sibling with autism).

Here’s a summary from USA Today: No link between MMR and Autism

Original JAMA article (free & entire article)

Related blog: “Too many vaccines and autism” is debunked | gutsandgrowth

An unrelated commentary, “Social Distancing and the Unvaccinated,” (NEJM 2015; 372: 1481-83) notes that a recent ruling (Phillips v City of New York) upholds the state’s authority to bar unvaccinated children from school during outbreaks.  This practice is referred to as social distancing to lessen likelihood of further transmission. This “reiterated the Supreme Court decision in the 1905 case Jacobson v. Massachusetts, which clearly found vaccine mandates constitutional.”

GI Care For Kids: Our group has been very supportive of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and especially active in staffing the yearly Camp Oasis for more than 20 years.  Throughout the year, there are a number of other events to support CCFA.  This past weekend many of us participated in “Taking Steps.”  Here are a few pictures:

Super Poopers: Ben Gold, Larry Saripkin, Dinesh Patel, Seth Marcus, and Jay Hochman

Super Poopers: Ben Gold, Larry Saripkin, Dinesh Patel, Seth Marcus, and Jay Hochman

Dr. Spandorfer’s team raised a great deal of money (50K) and he/his family were featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Local Family Takes Big Steps to Raise Awareness).  His son, Jack, spoke at the event, and was honored as this year’s hero.  They also had pretty clever T-shirts

With 'Pip" Spandorfer (whose team raised $50,000)

With ‘Pip” Spandorfer (whose team raised $50,000)

Dinesh Patel and Kimberly Sheats

Dinesh Patel and Kimberly Sheats