Oct 23, 2009 5:48 pm US/Eastern
Child Suffering From IBD Hosts Fundraiser
CLARKSVILLE, Md. (WJZ) ―
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It's often called the "bathroom disease," but inflammatory bowel disease is affecting more people every year.
CBS
It's often called the "bathroom disease," but inflammatory bowel disease is affecting more people every year.
Andrea Fujii reports one Clarksville boy is not embarrassed to talk about his condition as he helps with a fundraiser to find a cure.
Jacob Krause, 9, loves basketball, and it's the only sport he can participate in.
"Basketball is inside and has bathrooms," said Krause.
Krause suffers from ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. It's similar to Crohn's.
Krause's colon is swollen and lined with ulcers. When his colon is inflamed, he gets bad cramps.
"Usually I have to go to the bathroom a lot, and blood and mucus come out," said Krause.
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation says 82 people a day are diagnosed with IBD, but many patients say they don't talk about what they call an embarrassing condition.
"A lot of children go through this disease without telling their friends or other people that they know," said Dr. Karla Au Yeung.
Krause's dad also suffers from ulcerative colitis. He tells his son not to be embarrassed, but instead educate others.
Krause is on Johns Hopkins' commercial about gastrointestinal disorders. He's also helping his family organize a basketball fundraiser to support the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. He hopes to share the truth about his disease with the whole world.
"People keep it private, and we are letting it fly," said Krause.
There is no cure for colitis or Crohn's disease. Though it may go into remission, patients like Krause are continually on medication.
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation fundraiser will be on Nov. 7.
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