A fundraising event aiming to raise $500,000 for Crohn’s disease research will be held Friday at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead.
Alpharetta resident Andrew Goldberg, former president of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, said the funds will help the organization raise awareness and advocate for patients. The foundation is the biggest nonprofit funding medical research of inflammatory bowel disease, he added. The foundation website states the organization has invested more than $400 million into research since its founding in 1967.
Ticket prices for Friday’s fundraising gala start at $1,500 and include, dinner, dancing and a silent auction. The event starts at 7 p.m. The Intercontinental Hotel is located at 3315 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. People can also attend virtually, Goldberg said, receiving a delivery of wine and food.
A foundation statement said 3.1 million Americans and an estimated 100,000 Georgians are living with inflammatory bowel disease.
The foundation’s goal is to find a cure, Goldberg said. Fundraising monies have helped with new technologies such as a wearable device that can monitor a person’s gut inflammation through sweat, according to the nonprofit. Research has also helped with testing for potential disease complications in children, the statement said.
Goldberg described Crohn’s as a disease that causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers.
Goldberg, who is a board member, said he became involved with the foundation five years ago when his wife was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and in more recent years other family members including his father was diagnosed with Crohn’s or colitis.
“The more awareness we can create, the faster we can help the families that are struggling with these diseases.” Goldberg said.
For more information on the fundraising event and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation visit https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/events/31st-annual-torch-gala.
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