As we near the end of 2022, a year full of transitions for the Chapter, we hope you and your families are happy and well. We are grateful for your support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and our Northwest IBD community. As a volunteer-led health charity, our constituents and IBD warriors are at the core of the work we do, helping us fuel new research and quality of life programs while propelling us towards a world free from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
In 2022, we saw a return to in-person programs and events and were reconnected with our IBD community in ways that we had truly missed during the peak of the pandemic. And, because of our dedicated volunteers and supporters, we continued to do great things!
Hosted our first in-person Regional Education Conference since 2019. Over 100 people joined us for a full day of insightful sessions, including an informative and engaging patient panel. Check out the recordings here, and save the date to join us on March 25th for our next program!
After two successful years of virtual camp, we returned to in-person programming and welcomed 74 kids from throughout the Northwest back to Camp Oasis. 60% of kids joining us were first time campers! In total, the Foundation served over 760 kids, and while our numbers were smaller than pre-covid, they were in line with other summer residential camps. We look forward to growing the program in 2023!
Raised a record $700,000 at our inaugural in person Epicure dinner and auction, which featured live music from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, an inclusive IBD-friendly dining experience, and nearly 400 guests in attendance. Check out Epicure photos here!
Expanded access to public restrooms through the “We Can’t Wait” app with nearly 45,000 restrooms listed on the free mobile app, providing important information for individuals who need to find access to a restroom
We continued to make important advancements in research and remain committed to advancing innovative research that puts patients’ needs first. This includes a $3.6 million investment in precision nutrition research to help provide the knowledge so patients can tailor their diets based on their unique biological, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics to feel better and minimize flares.
This is just a small glimpse of the important work we are doing thanks to our steadfast supporters. As we look ahead to 2023, we are eager to connect with many more members of our Northwest IBD community, and we hope to see you at an upcoming event or program!
If you have questions about the work we are doing, would like to get involved as a volunteer, or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Best wishes for a happy holiday season and wonderful start to 2023!
Sincerely,
Chris Adams, Board President
Jennifer O’Connor, Lindsay Fujimoto, Ryan Boyce, Northwest Chapter Staff Team
Save the Date
We hope you'll join us at our events next year! We're excited to share these dates with you so you can mark your calendar. We look forward to seeing you in 2023!
Northwest Regional Education Conference (Seattle, WA) - Saturday, March 25th
Portland Take Steps (Portland, OR) - Saturday, May 13th at Oaks Amusement Park
Western Washington Take Steps (Seattle, WA) - Saturday, May 20th at Jefferson Park
Camp Oasis Northwest (Longbranch, WA) - Sunday, July 30th-Friday, August 4th at YMCA Camp Colman
Epicure (Seattle, WA) - Friday, October 27th at Fremont Studios
spin4 crohn's & colitis cures (Seattle, WA)- November
Stay tuned for other opportunities to connect with the Northwest Chapter!
IBD Community Spotlight: Mrs. Washington, Emily Skeers
spin4 crohn's & colitis cures raises over $40,000
Over 20 teams pedaled for a purpose and raised over $40,000, with our top team, Oliver Graves, raising over $5,200!
The year's #partyonabike featured fun cycling sessions led by instructors from the Washington Athletic Club, a program hosted by ulcerative colitis patient, Miss Washington, Regan Gallo, and a time for our IBD community to connect over mimosas and other delicious treats.
Thank you to our national sponsor, AbbVie, our local presenting sponsor, Parametric, and our partners, Washington Athletic Club and LightSmiths, for your generous support of spin4 crohn's & colitis cures!
Thank You to our Outgoing Northwest Board Members
As we wind down 2022, the Northwest Chapter would like to take a moment to extend a special thanks to three Northwest Chapter Board Members that finished out their terms in 2022, Dr. James Lord, Jenn White and Joel VandenBrink.
These three individuals have dedicated countless hours to supporting the Northwest Chapter and serving our local Crohn’s and colitis community. We appreciate their leadership and dedication to advancing the Foundation’s mission and bringing us closer to a world free from IBD! We will miss them on the Board and look forward to still seeing them at upcoming events and programs!
Thank you, Dr. Lord, Jenn and Joel, for your service!
Contact Us
Jennifer O'Connor, Regional Director
joconnor@crohnscolitisfoundation.org
(646) 965-0891
