For the last 15 years, most of my fundraising focus has been on Crohn's and Colitis awareness events - such as the M&M Meats CCC (Crohn's Colitis Canada) barbeque, the CCC Gala, and the CCC Gutsy Walk.
In 2016 I would like to shift my entire fundraising efforts into the Power of Movement fundraiser for Arthritis research.
I still plan on attending, donating to, and *hopefully* performing for the gala, and a portion of the proceeds from every one of my CDs sold will still be donated to Crohn's Colitis Canada, but any funds that I ask for from friends/family/the public will be geared towards the POM yoga fundraiser.
The major issue that I have found over the last few years is that when the fundraising starts, it is shortly after the Christmas holidays - when wallets are cinched a bit tighter. So even though there is not yet an updated interface for the 2016 event, I wanted to start my fundraising efforts before the holidays really begin.
I will add the link to my personal fundraising page once it becomes available.
Arthritis is a disease that almost everyone will suffer with at some point in their lives, but it is often misconstrued as a disease of the elderly. Due to this misconception, it is often seen as an inevitable illness that is a simple sign of aging.
There are MANY different forms of Arthritis - ranging from the more well-known Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Osteoarthritis, to Spondyloarthropies, and Psoriatic Arthritis. Many of them can affect ANY person at ANY age.
My first encounter was with a man who was a teenager when he was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and was using a cane during his years at University, which seemed utterly tragic.
The face of Arthritis is digressing more and more each year to younger individuals - who do not LOOK sick.
Although there ARE medications that can help manage the pain, there is no cure, no universal cause, and most medications do not eliminate the pain. Many people wind up with joint replacements, painful injections, and dangerous infusion medications. Furthermore, without more research, if you are incapable of tolerating the aforementioned therapies, we will not be able to find more efficient ways to treat this kind of illness.
It may not seem like it, but even $5.00 can make a difference in the lives of millions of people.
Please consider donating to the Power of Movement fundraiser. My personal battle with Arthritis and how it has directly affected my life will be found on the Power of Movement website under Karissa Schmidt, once the fundraising page has been updated.