Dear Member,
We are reaching out to you because we need your help!
As someone with Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis, or as a caregiver of someone who has it, you surely know that sadly we currently don´t know what causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which makes it impossible to find a cure.
We do know that there are key genes that play an important role in deciding who will develop IBD, and that the Jewish Ashkenazi community is at particularly higher risk due to unique genes that the Doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital have discovered. We also know this is only a one part of the story.
Over the past few years the Doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital have successfully acquired new information telling us that the bacteria that lives inside our gut may be another important factor involved in causing IBD.
The studies suggest that there are certain types of bacteria that are protective against IBD and some that are playing a role in causing it.
We believe that these harmful bacterias are present before the inflammation even occurs in the intestine.
If we can successfully identify these bacteria, we can then find a way of altering them by diet or medication so that we can with Hashem’s help, prevent them from causing IBD. The fastest way to get to the bottom of this would be to study the genetics and bacteria (gut flora) of people who are affected and unaffected by IBD within the same family (multiplex families).
The Doctors of Mount Sinai Hospital and the Jewish Crohn’s and Colitis Support Group (JCCSG) believe that by working in this direction we can find a way to prevent the disease from ever happening in the first place.
Here is how you can help:
We at the ‘Jewish Crohn’s and Colitis Support Group’ (JCCSG) were honored to get invited to a meeting with our friends, the giants at Mount Sinai Hospital, Doctors of the Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center. They have requested that we should partner with them, and join their new “Road to Prevention” program dedicated to studying life before IBD. After discussing this study with the Rabbi’s of our community, deeply evaluating the pros and cons of this decision, we came to the conclusion that it is best for our dear members that we join them, and yes! We have committed ourselves to do whatever we possibly can, to make this study a success!
For this program to be successful they/we will need to collect a small amount of blood, saliva, and stool from all family members including those with and without IBD. Together we can navigate the road to prevention and help our future generations to come.
Self-understood, participation is strictly confidential, and privacy protected!
JCCSG has partnered with Mount Sinai Hospital in organizing a series of events to raise awareness for the disease and to explain in detail what our research program is about.
Our first Symposium will be held on Sunday, May 10th, In Monsey, New York. Additional updates will follow as details are being finalized.
We are looking forward to your cooperation and participation, Stay tuned!
We would be delighted to hear from you. The more participants the greater the potential impact of the research. Your participation is much appreciated.
