9th Annual Casino For a Cause Fundrasier

For the ninth year the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation - Alabama/Northwest Florida Chapter is hosting Casino for a Cause, a fundraising benefit night, presented by This Is Alabama. The event will be held Thursday, October 24^th at 6 PM at The Haven and will include live and silent auction items, “Barrel of Fun” stock the bar drawing, Kendra Scott jewelry pull, and opportunities to support the Foundation’s research and programs for people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that are painful, debilitating digestive diseases affecting 3.1 million American adults and children, including an estimated 80,000 patients under the age of 18. 

During the evening, Heather Monsma, a parent of a 7-year-old girl living with Crohn’s disease, will share her family’s experience fighting this disease. Monsma first became involved with the Foundation when she sought support and advice from other parents through the Alabama/Northwest Florida Chapter’s parents support group. That group led Monsma to supportive programs that have provided community and peer support for her daughter, like Camp Oasis, a one-week summer camp for children with IBD.

“Having someone like Heather share her daughter’s experience is so important to raising awareness that Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can affect anyone at any age,” says Emily Richter, Executive Director for the Alabama/Northwest Florida Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. “Her story highlights two things we try to help people navigate; how to cope as a child living with one of these diseases and how to be the best-informed parent guiding your child through life with one of these diseases.”

Founded in 1967, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has been a leader at the forefront of research in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and is committed to innovation and collaboration through uniting all patients, caregivers, providers, donors, and researchers to find cures for these diseases. The Alabama/Northwest Florida Chapter was established in 1987 by Dr. J. Marshall Garrett and Conrad and Frances Cypress. The 9^th annual Casino for a Cause is presented by This is Alabama, with additional support from The Daniel Foundation, UAB Gastrointestinal Surgery, UAB Pediatrics, UAB Digestive Health Clinic, Children’s of Alabama Surgery, AbbVie, Mayer Electric, RSM, Yelp, Bradley, C&S Paving, Momentum Telecom, Zotec Partners, Gastro Health, Alabama Power, Synovus, Cooper Construction, GCP, ServisFirst, Birmingham Gastro Associates, Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham, Dr. Dan Chu, Dr. Margaux Barnes, and Sirote.

For more information on how to get involved with Casino for a Cause, please visit www.casinoforacause.org or contact Emily Richter at (646) 387-2149 or erichter@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.