HomeFundraise for ResearchPast FundraisersAwareness Walk for Gastroparesis

Awareness Walk for Gastroparesis

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Fundraiser Details

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JourneywithGP
Fundraising for :
Gastroparesis
Location Bellingham, Washington
End Date September 8th 2012

The first annual Awareness Walk for Gastroparesis (GP) took place Saturday, September 8th in Bellingham, WA!  The event began at the farmer's market at noon, along the scenic interurban trail between the Bellingham Farmers Market and Boulevard Park. Participants walked down the interurban trail along the bay towards Boulevard Park, wrapped around Woods Coffee and came back to the market. A booth was set up for registration and important information about GP. T-shirts were available, along with a selection of exciting silent auction items.

The walk was a huge success raising at least $3,000!!! Proceeds will go directly to research so that we can help fund further research and treatment options to not only improve but to save the lives of so many people suffering from gastroparesis. Weather could not have been more perfect, sunny, 80 degrees and no wind.  So thankful for all the volunteers and their hard work, this could not have been possible without them. We had several visitors up from Seattle area and met many locals who are dealing with similar issues and learned so much.

Interesting Facts and Demographics:

  •     Gastroparesis is a condition in which the muscles of the stomach work poorly or not at all, preventing the stomach from emptying properly.
  •     Symptoms and Complications can include: severe nausea and/or vomiting, feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites, abdominal bloating, heartburn or gastric reflux, changes in blood sugar levels, lack of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and malnutrition, dysmotility of the intestines, and possibly the need for all liquid diet or feeding tube to deliver nutrition.
  •     GP affects more than 1.5 million Americans with over 100,000 suffering from a severe from of the disorder. Millions more are increasingly diagnosed worldwide.
  •     At least 20% of people with type 1 diabetes develop GP and can occur in type 2 diabetes as well.

spacer  In 2008, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, at the age of 28, after experiencing extreme digestive distress and losing over 20 pounds in less than 2 months. It drastically changed my life, disabling me from not only from eating normally, but getting enough exercise, obtaining my master's degree, working, and living a fullfilled life like most young women do. Like many other patients, I have gone through a number of medications and procedures, including having a feeding tube placed in August of 2011, the only option left to save my life. Since then I have learned numerous ways to manage this illness through a dietary and lifestyle modifications, which in itself can seem like a full-time job at times. Currently, I work as a Health Coach (www.journeywithgp.com), inspiring and teaching others to make the best of what they have. It is my intention to be promote advocacy and raise as much awareness as possible to help the millions worldwide living with this life altering illness.

New: See our Etsy page at www.etsy.com/shop/JourneywithGP!

See our Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/walkforgastroparesis!

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

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Donations of over $25 will receive a free t-shirt, please specify your size (S-XL) in the "Donation Notes" field.

Donate now
Toward Our Goal of
$10,000.00
We have raised
$2,125.75
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A Fundraiser

Honor Roll

  Name Amount Location Date Message
spacer Jo Allison $100.00 New York, Troy Jul 6th 2012 I was diagnosed with gastroparesis in 2006 after months of extreme pain. I had never heard of it before. Learning to deal with it has changed my life. I support any and all research to cure or treat GP.
spacer Sharona Goodman $25.00 , Melbourne Jul 8th 2012
spacer Go Macro $500.00 Washington, Bellingham Jul 31st 2012
spacer Bellingham Community Food Co-op $100.00 Washington, Bellingham Jul 31st 2012
spacer Medical Massage $100.00 Washington, Bellingham Jul 31st 2012
spacer Carr Dorsch Family Dental $100.00 Washington, Bellingham Aug 6th 2012
spacer The Benhardt Family $25.00 New Jersey, East Brunswick Aug 8th 2012
spacer Hoagland Pharmacy $250.00 Washington, Bellingham Aug 10th 2012
spacer From owner of Bellingham SPORTS and SPINE Physicsl Therapy Clinic $50.00 Washington, Bellingham Sep 4th 2012
spacer Daniel & Shirley Torres $140.00 Washington, Bellingham Sep 4th 2012
spacer $100.00 Washington, Bellingham Sep 5th 2012
spacer $25.00 Washington, BELLINGHAM Sep 6th 2012
spacer Lenore Dick $25.00 Iowa, Milo Sep 6th 2012 I am so glad this walk is going to happen. For so long we have just suffered in private because noone else understands. Thank you for doing this.
spacer Amy and Cory $50.00 Washington, Bellingham Sep 7th 2012 Sorry we can't do the walk this time, but please know we support you!
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