Hundreds to Take Steps for Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis – WSYR

LIVERPOOL (WSYR-TV) - According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, 1.6-million Americans are suffering with one of the painful gastrointestinal diseases they're trying to fight.

For some patients, medicine does not relieve symptoms including internal bleeding, joint swelling, skin lesions and abdominal cramping.

Researchers haven't pinpointed a single cause for the diseases, but possibilities include environmental factors, genetic predisposition or abnormalities of the immune system.

Ulcerative Colitis patients suffer from intense inflammation along their colon, while Crohn's Disease can impact various points along the gastrointestinal tract.

To support ongoing research, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation is hosting the 2017 Syracuse Takes Steps walk on June 17 at Onondaga Lake Park.

Families can register now online. Click here for more information.

People who don't want to form their own team can still walk. NewsChannel 9's Tammy Palmer, who suffers from ulcerative colitis is welcoming anyone to join her team. Click here to sign up!

You can also play the clip above to hear more about Tammy's personal struggles with the disease.

She has created a Facebook group called CNY Crohn's and Colitis Crusaders to offer patients a place to meet and share their experiences.

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Hundreds to Take Steps for Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis - WSYR