Gerald DeVeer's intestinal disease was once a secret only he and his immediate family knew about. For all kinds of reasons, it's the kind of problem people might want to keep to themselves. So one of the main goals of the upcoming 'Gutsy Walk' is to encourage people with colitis and Crohn's disease to open up.
"I've had Crohn's for 25 years, and it hasn't been until the last year and a half that I've really opened up," said Gerald DeVeer. And one of the reasons he gets involved in the annual 'Gutsy Walk' is to show others that they aren't alone. "I find a lot of people are in hiding," he said.
DeVeer was diagnosed with Colitis as a child. A decade later he was correctly diagnosed with Crohn's disease. All along the way he tried to manage his condition by taking a series of medications, none of which proved to be a lasting solution.
"Two years ago in September was when I was the sickest and admitted myself into hospital and said I need surgery." It's not an easy decision to come to, but DeVeer said having his failing colon removed was the best decision he could have made.
"I was 75 pounds lighter than I am today," he said. And he doesn't miss the medication. "Being medication free for myself after being on medications for 25 years, it's just a feeling that you can't replace."
At the same time, he notes that many people can do well on the medication available, and the decision to go to surgery is personal. "It's a hard decision to step forward and take that commitment of surgery, but when I look back at it I say 'Why didn't I do it ten years earlier?'"
Sharing his experiences with others is part of what he likes best about the Gutsy Walk. "Meeting people that are newly diagnosed and family members that are dealing with their children that are newly diagnosed and just try to help them". And the event raises money for much-needed research on these diseases. "There's research to be done," said DeVeer, "and there's a kids camp called "Camp Got-To-Go" for children with colitis and Crohn's."
Close to one percent of Canadians are affected by colitis and Crohn's disease. The Gutsy Walk in Kelowna goes June 2nd at City Park.
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