FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Former First Lady Barbara Bush Lends Support to National Awareness Campaign About Inflammatory Bowel Disease
CONTACT:
Barbara Rosenstein
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
(212) 685-3440
brosenstein@ccfa.org
NEW YORK -- (AUGUST 22, 2003) -- Barbara Bush, former First Lady and mother of the current President, is set to appear in a series of national public service announcements about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), two serious chronic illnesses with no known medical cure. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two components of IBD. Together, they affect an estimated one million people in the United States. (To view the new PSA, click here.)
Mrs. Bush's youngest son and the President's brother, Marvin, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1985, and underwent surgery to remove his colon the following year. The awareness campaign is sponsored by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) through a generous grant from the Mankoff Family Foundation of Dallas.
"We are thrilled to be working with Mrs. Bush on this national awareness program, and we thank her for her family's ongoing commitment to those living with IBD," said Roger L. DeRose, President and Chief Executive Officer, CCFA. "In this campaign, her message is clear: while CCFA searches for the cure, educational programs and support services are available to those with IBD and their families."
The campaign features Mrs. Bush in :15 and :30 second television and radio spots. In the television spots, Mrs. Bush acknowledges the struggle her family experienced having a son with ulcerative colitis and urges people to call or write CCFA for additional information about IBD. The campaign will be launched nationally in August.
The PSA campaign is funded from a gift from the Mankoff Family Foundation of Dallas. The Mankoff Family Foundation, in a related press release, announced today a $1 million gift to CCFA to increase public awareness about IBD.
"Few people know about inflammatory bowel disease because even fewer people feel comfortable talking about a disease that involves bowel malfunctions," said Jeffrey Mankoff, President of CCFA's North Texas Chapter. "IBD, in the context of public awareness and taboo, is where cancer was 20 years ago and depression 10 years ago. This needs to change. The Mankoff Family Foundation is excited about working with CCFA to move IBD to the forefront of public awareness. We are very pleased that CCFA has chosen the first monies from our grant to be used in conjunction with Barbara Bush's national public service awareness campaign. This will help our cause." Mankoff, 42, has had Crohn's disease since the age of 15.
About IBD
Ulcerative colitis affects only the colon, while Crohn's disease occurs in both the small intestine and colon. Symptoms range from mild to severe and include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Children with the disease may experience delayed growth.
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are unpredictable illnesses. Some patients recover after a single attack; others require frequent hospitalizations and surgery. Left untreated, symptoms may worsen and cause complications such as abscesses, obstruction, malnutrition and anemia. Colon cancer may be a serious complication of long-term ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, even in a patient who is in remission.
About CCFA
The mission of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, which was founded in 1967, is to cure and prevent Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis through research, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these digestive diseases through education and support. Of the one million Americans who suffer from IBD, approximately 100,000 are children under the age of 18.
For more information, contact the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America at www.ccfa.org or (800) 932-2423.
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