Annual Gutsy Walk is happening on Sunday
'Together as one we walk to stop Crohn's and Colitis' is the theme of a fundraiser being held this Sunday in communities across Canada, including in northern Ontario.
The Gutsy Walk raises money for research, programs and awareness about the digestive system diseases.
Kaylie Voutier, 29, is the chair of the Gutsy Walk in Sudbury.
She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 18 and was later hospitalized with serious complications.
"There was even a possibility that I was possibly going to have to get my colon removed," Voutier said. "Thankfully, the biologic drug worked and that didn't have to happen. I got to keep my colon, which is always nice and also is, just really affects your mental health."
By taking medication and infusions, Voutier said she is now enjoying a much better quality of life thanks to research into better treatments.
"The medication worked so well that I am able to work a full-time job. I am able to just live my life, I am not as worried about my colitis as I would be if I was not on the biologic drug," she said.
Gutsy Walks will be held across the country, including Sault Ste. Marie and Muskoka, to raise money and awareness for Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
In Sudbury, the 5K walk is taking place at Bell Park with the opening ceremonies beginning at 11 a.m. June 4.
The Sudbury walk has already raised more than $25,000 of it's $30,000 goal.
Meanwhile in Sault Ste. Marie, the walk is taking place at the Roberta Bondar Pavillion and has surpassed its $10,000 fundraising goal by more than $5,000.
The Gutsy Walk in Muskoka starts at 9;30 a.m. at Gull Lake Rotary Park in Gravenhurst. It has also surpassed its $10,000 goal."It's estimated that there are 300,000 Canadians living with Crohn's disease and ulcerated colitis and in Canada, someone new is diagnosed every hour," said Nicole Sage, development co-ordination for the northern Ontario chapter of the organization.
Organizers said the support the walk generates is important for people living with the diseases.
"A lot of people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have pain and inflammation, have to run to the bathroom multiple times, so who really wants to talk about that right," Sage said.
"So it's really important that we talk about how many people are affected and that they are not alone and that their community is here to support them."
Gutsy Walk organizers said they are in need of volunteers to help out on Sunday. To sign up to give some time or walk to raise money and show support, visit gutsywalk.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.