CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA APPOINTS RICHARD GESWELL AS PRESIDENT

New York, NY – May 18, 2006 – The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to curing and preventing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, today announced the appointment of Richard J. Geswell as President. 

"The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America is an organization filled with incredible people with big hearts, working in unison to fund innovative research and improve the quality of life of people affected by these digestive diseases," said Mr. Geswell. "I'm honored to join forces with patients, families and donors from all over the country in an effort to find cures and more effective treatments for these chronic diseases." 

For more than 30 years, Mr. Geswell has had a distinguished career in nonprofit health agency management.  He is widely respected in the industry and is dedicated to the principles of strategic planning and aligning an organization's shared vision and values to achieve its goals.  "Planning is a key component to an organization's readiness to move into the future," he said. "It's critical that the organization have a focused discipline across the extended enterprise, driven by a vision that establishes priorities and brings the organization into alignment."      
 
Prior to joining CCFA, Mr. Geswell served for seven years as the Executive VP, Revenue and Marketing for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  During his tenure there, revenue more than doubled.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Geswell held leadership positions in the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation and the American Heart Association.  His background covers all aspects of nonprofit strategic planning, management, operations and development, including business planning, major gifts, special events, direct response, planned giving, e-giving and corporate development.  Mr. Geswell lives with his wife, Jackie, and two sons, Matt (18) and Ryan (16), in Patterson, NY. 

About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system.  Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames the large intestine (colon) only.  Symptoms may include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, rectal bleeding, fever, and weight loss.  Many patients require hospitalization and surgery.  These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease.  Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18.  Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.

About CCFA
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's (CCFA) mission 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. More than 80 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs.  CCFA consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org).  For more information, contact CCFA at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org.
 
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