Includes participants and communities in the Waterloo-Wellington Region. About Gutsy Walk
Gutsy Walk is the largest and one of the most anticipated annual fundraising events held by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC). CCFC invites you along with your friends and family, to walk with us and to help be part of the solution. On June 4, thousands of Canadians at almost 60 communities
across the country will walk together for the Gutsy Walk event to raise money to find a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is made up of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Over the past 18 years, this pledge-based event has tripled in size and its ongoing success is directly attributable to the passion and commitment of dedicated volunteers, donors and participants. Canada has one of the highest rates for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world and those rates are increasing. There are more Canadians than ever before living with IBD. CCFC now estimate there are 233,000 Canadians living with Crohn’s or colitis - approximately one in 150 across the country - nearly 6,000 of whom are children. The Gutsy Walk is a great way to spread awareness of IBD and raise much-needed funds to support essential research. Breakthroughs funded by Gutsy Walk and the support of partners are accelerating like never before. Facts about IBD in Canada
• There are approximately 233,000 Canadians living with IBD: 129,000 with Crohn’s disease and 104,000 with ulcerative colitis.
• Over 9,200 new cases are diagnosed every year - 5,100 with Crohn’s disease and 4,100 with ulcerative colitis.
• One in every 150 Canadians live with IBD, most of whom are diagnosed before they reach the age of 30.
• There has been a significant rise in IBD affecting children under the age of 10.
• IBD in Canada is approximately three times more common than multiple sclerosis and HIV infection.
• There are many additional challenges for people living with IBD, ranging from society’s lack of awareness of IBD as a chronic disease, to social stigma, to lack of equity in access to IBD medications.
• Our current state of medical knowledge allows health care professionals to treat the symptoms of IBD with drugs or surgery, but so far there is no cure.
