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Published: February 19 2013

MIAMI, FL. – Hundreds of walkers are preparing to descend upon Tropical Park in Miami as they take a stand against the digestive diseases that are debilitating millions of Americans each year. The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's annual Take Steps Walk will bring together more than 1,200 participants on Saturday, April 20, 2013, to create awareness and raise funds to support the thousands of people suffering from digestive diseases.

Walk festivities will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will include live entertainment, free food and drinks, and a kid's zone complete with bounce house fun! Guests will also get a special introduction to the Take Steps Miami Walk's Honored Hero – Cata Berenblum. Cata, who is 15 years old, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the young age of 10. After a long and daunting struggle, Cata found balance with her disease and is enjoying life as a teenager. Her goal, through this event, is to spread the word about the disease that at one point took over her life.

"We are excited about our 5th annual Take Steps Miami Walk," said Craig Konhauzer, president of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's Florida Chapter Board of Directors. "Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other digestive diseases are on the rise in individuals across the County, especially children. This Walk will help us to raise awareness and generate funds to find a cure. We have a goal to beat this disease and with the help of Miami – we will!"
Chair of the event is Sharon Azoulay, attorney and mother of a child with IBD. Committee members include Dr. Jose Ferrer and Dr. Ruben Gonzalez-Vallina of Gastro Health, as well as Ani Nunez, Carol Namoff, Howard Lavine, Lisa Schatzman, Dr. Beth Kalbac, Emily Kalbac, Nicolas Garcia, Maria Antelo, Sergio Cruz, Susset Cabrera, and Alexandra Tovar.  Holtz Children's Hospital and Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center of Miami are sponsors of this event. For more information about becoming involved in the Take Steps Miami Walk, or to learn more about the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, please visit www.cctakesteps.org/Miami or call 561-218-2929.

About Take Steps
At over 100 Walk sites across the country, thousands of people will gather to join the fight against Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Together we'll raise money for crucial research and raise awareness of these painful and unpredictable digestive diseases that afflict millions of people. After only three years, CCFA's Take Steps Walk has raised over $20 million for research and patient service programs. Our goal is even higher in 2013. We're committed to help transform the lives of those impacted by these diseases to one of a brighter future based on well-funded, cutting-edge scientific research. Join us now -- register today and take a step toward a future free from Crohn's and colitis!

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 only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, 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 the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 79 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance ( www.give.org ) and the American Institute of Philanthropy ( www.charitywatch.org ). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org. Join CCFA on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/supportccfa/and follow CCFA and Take Steps on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccfa and www.twitter.com/takesteps.