. : : Make a Contribution : : . Noisemaker $25.00 Make Some Noise $50.00 Let’s Get Loud $100.00 Pump Up the Volume $250.00 Loud and Proud $500.00 All the Bells and Whistles $1,000.00 Other: $

STRONGER THEN CROHNS!

my team and my donors are my life! =] im counting on you guys! ive been fighting this for over 10 years! nows your time to HELP me fight it! heres to my friends and family also diagnosed with this disease. Laurie Arcement (sister) Amber Oncale (friend) Kandace Rankin (friend) Eve Hartman (cousin) brynn matherne (new friend met her through all of this) Monique Schock Rini (new friend met her through all of this) KRYSTAL FAUCHEAUX(new friend met her through all of this) all SURVIVORS of crohns and/or colitis! this walk is in honor of you guys as well. and to all of you that dont have it but have the HEART to be a part of my team or simply make a donation for us. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN! <3 rAcHeL cOoK...........................................................................................................................................The duty of helping one's self in the highest sense involves the helping of one's neighbors. - Hi im Rachel. My Reason to FLARE UP is to join people around the world in celebrating those who have survived crohns & colitis, remembering the people we've lost, and supporting the lifesaving mission of the Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America. Please make a donation to me or join my team. You are helping deliver the hope that future generations will not have to endure crohns & colitis threatening the lives of their friends and family. You have the power to fight back against a disease that affects millions. im a wife, a daughter, a stepmother, a nanny, & a sister.i am 26. i have crohns and have been living with it for at least 10 years now, ive been on just about everything from over 30 pills a day, to 3 hr remicade treatments, to self injections. ive survived 5 major abdominal surgeries already and still have hospital bills over 5,000. i went from haven long hair to having lost over a gallon sized zip lock of hair and haven to cut my hair really REALLYYYYY short b/c it was so thin from falling out by the handfuls =( that just goes to show you how strong some of these medications really are! not to mention how expensive. i went from weighing 90 something lbs in one year to weighing in at my heaviest weight EVER at 120lbs all in a matter of months. i was happy for the weight gain. but the "MOON" face from the steriods was so unencouraging. i have trouble keeping weight on and im now struggling to stay over 100 lbs once again. i was also hospitalized for 3-4 days in march 08. DUE TO THE 3 HOUR TREATMENTS I WAS TAKING THAT MY DR PUT ME ON AND I HAD A VERY SERIOUS REACTION! i am now currently having to take SELF INJECTIONS EVERY OTHER WEEK THAT HURT MORE THEN WORDS CAN EVEN DESCRIBE. DUE TO THE AMOUT OF PAIN THEY CAUSE ME I ACTUALLY HOPED THAT THEY WOULDNT WORK =( BUT IM LEARNING TO LIVE WITH IT. AND OF COURSE THE MOST PAINFUL OPTION, WOULD BE THE ONE TO WORK FOR ME LOL. BUT IM LEARING TO BE OK WITH THAT B/C I AM TO THE POINT OF WHERE IM RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS. but as for as the crohns goes, im a SURVIVOR. ive recieved over 24 pints of blood for one surgery and came close to death more then once. my older sister also has this disease. it is hereditary. she is also in the process of trying to get hers under control. i have a very SERIOUS case and have YET to meet some1 with it worse then mine, i know they are out there i just havent met them yet. it is becoming more common now but most ppl i know that have it havent under gone even 1 surgery. yet all of them have been hospitalized. i want to do this walk to BE HEARD and i would love for my friends and family to join me. i want them to better understand my disease and to stand by my side. if you cant walk please donate so we can pay for more research and if you cant donate please walk. but to my team, LETS DO BOTH! if you are on my team i would be forever grateful and know you care for me. i will NEVER forget the people that gave blood for me and those of you that put even a PENNY into my jars for my hospital bills when my husband missed mths of work for my 3 surgeries i had in 2006. and a BIG shout out to South Coast Gas company for hosting my blood drive! thanks to everyone that has stood by my side. i chose the team named as FLARED up b/c when you have crohns thats a POWERFUL thing and thats what i want my team to be. thanks in advance to everyone on my team and for every donation made. lets DO IT BIG and have fun with this all in one. because you better believe if god allows i will be there "taking steps" to "be heard" on june 13th and ill be looking around to see who is by my side. please dont feel bad if $10 is all you can donate we dont turn down ANYTHING. ........................................................ PS. Dont forget to select the team name FLARED UP 4 TEAM RACHEL! when registering. ..........................................This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another. The Prayer: Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. Amen. .............................................................................AND ALWAYS REMEMBER--------> JUST BECAUSE THE PACKAGE IS PRETTY, DOESNT MEAN THE GIFT IS GREAT. =))))))))))))))))))) sincerely yours, Rachel (diagnosed but not destroyed) Cook.

To donate please find the “Make a contribution” box on this page, if this box is not visible please select a fundraiser next to "View Team Fundraising Pages". Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis is the nation’s largest event dedicated to finding cures for digestive diseases. Not only am I participating in this event, but I am raising money for crucial research that wouldn’t even have been possible a few short years ago. More than 1.4 million patients across the country suffer from these painful and unpredictable diseases. Beyond raising money for research, Take Steps brings together the community in a fun and energetic atmosphere. Participants are encouraged to make noise and be heard -- raising awareness of these little-known diseases in their community and across the nation. Please support my efforts by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. With your help, we will fund important research and raise awareness of diseases that afflict millions of people.

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