I’m taking on a few new projects this year — and I need your help to make some of them possible.

Kona Half Marathon (Crohns & Colitis Foundation)

My fiancée, after a ten-day emergency hospital stay, was diagnosed Thanksgiving week with a severe case of Crohn’s disease. I didn’t know much about this condition until recently, despite having an aunt on on side of my family tree with Crohn’s, and on the other with ulcerative colitis. However, since Katie’s diagnosis, I’ve been making up for lost time, and learning everything I can about this condition for which there currently is no known cure.

Fortunately for those suffering from Crohns or ulcerative colitis, the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is there.

This June, I’ll be competing in the Kona, Hawaii Half Marathon with the Crohns and Colitis Team Challenge to raise funds for CCFA’s effort “to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases.”

Worried about your donation being misdirected or misused? The American Institute of Philanthropy gave the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation one of the only 6 “A” ratings (out of 44 charities) in its most recent watchdog report. The Foundation also consistently meets the standards established by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

Huayhuash Circuit Clinics and Trek (Mountain Medics International)

Peru’s Cordillera Huayhuash is home to several villages of indigent natives suffering from substandard medical care. In an effort to provide desperately needed medical attention and care to these inhabitants of the Huayhuash mountain range, I will be participating this July in Mountain Medics International’s Cordillera Huayhuash Clinics and Trek 2009.

This volunteer endeavor will involve trekking the entire length of the 90-mile Huayhuash circuit, which rests at elevations between 14,000 and 15,000 feet. I look forward to the challenge, as well as the opportunity to use my emergency medical skills in a critical setting once again — but I can’t do it without your help.

Total fundraising goal: $8,095.⁰⁰

You can help make these volunteer efforts possible by clicking this link and making a donation. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Jeff Emanuel