Leading With Guts

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow - another crazy year has passed and I'm humbled to share that I've just completed my fifth race with Team Challenge, an incredibly successful program that has raised $40 million during the past few years to benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).  I'm honored for the support from so many of you during the past few years during which  $45,000 has been raised for the CCFA on my behalf.  

During my 33 years with Crohn’s disease I’ve had some great times and some major challenges.  Ths website captures many of my personal stories as well as a recap of training with the incredible Team Challenge crew during the past four years.  Last August I recently shared my story and the Team Challenge adventure in an hour long interview on WFAN - honored to openly share what this program means to me and all my new friends at the CCFA.  The energy and support we share is incredibly important.  Click here to listen to my 8/5/12 interview.

I'm often asked - how did I do this again?  Why did you race for a fifth time with Team Challenge?  

Want to know why I work so hard for the CCFA?  Here are a few reasons, four incredible stories of courage from people I've met through Twitter.  These are my "tweeps" for twitter-peeps.  We all have the same common goal…a cure for Crohn's Disease… 

To the left is Julie aka @SemiColonGirl who raced for Team Challenge the first time this summer after learning of the program from my posts on Twitter.  Julie suffered for many years and faced a life threatening struggle with Crohn's after her small bowel burst inside her.  Visit her website ScrewYouCrohns.com to learn more about how she fights on with humor and the courage of a warrior.

 

Read the story of Matt, pictured to the right with his daughter Abby.  Matt learned about Team Challenge from his parents who read of my story in Newsday last year.  He is leading a great movement for awareness in central Florida, while working hard for his daughter's care and well being.  Visit Matt's web site to learn more about why he runs and check him out on twitter too.

Powerful… Meet one of the most impressive guys I've ever met, also through Twitter.  Michael @MJSeres lives in the UK, has severe Crohn's disease and had a small bowel transplant last year.  He was only the 11th person there to have this procedure.  He's 43 with three children, the oldest a teenager also named Aaron like my oldest child.  Michael is an incredible fighter having extreme courage through countless surgeries.  Remarkably he carried the Olympic torch in early July.  He's now in a real battle after stoma reversal surgery.  Visit his blog to learn about a true hero in our fight for a cure.

Meet Jason, 32 and founder of The Crohn's Disease Support Network.  Jason is a battling warrior himself, with an incredible story of willpower as his body battles against complications from medication to control his Crohn's.  Jason created a very popular website and social network for people to connect and share stories about their challenges.  He is also an active Twitter contributor.  

Finally, the picture below shares a bit more - 2,000 people having pasta (and bananas) before the big race.  One team, one goal.  Everyone has a story.  There is the saying that there is no "I" in Team, but there is an "I" in "Community" and "Family."  As we close on the fifth year of this program, which has already raised $40 million for the CCFA, I can share that we're one family, one team, seeking one goal, a cure... 

Why do I train - walking and running great distances?  I do it for myself, my family and for each of these people along with my incredible Long Island teammates.  I do it for the friends I've met, either online or through this incredible program.  I do it for the team, a global network of #Crohnies.

With Gratitude & Regards, Jon Cheris

P.S. Please support my corporate sponsors, such as Forvia a product of Inovera Bioscience. Email me if interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship benefits for the team, including “personal corporate donations” where similar to a NASCAR driver I’ll wear custom logos on my race day jersey (pictured at top of page).

The CCFA is a 501c3 non-profit. All Donations are tax deductible!