Joe G Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 An article in the Lansing State Journal today alerted me to this 210-mile charity bike ride, taking place near Seattle, August 18-20. The website is www.ibdride.org Something I haven't mentioned on the board (not that I can recall), though I discussed it privately with a handful of friends here, is that Michelle, my wife of nearly 14 years, died of complications from Crohn's last year at the age of 36. The story of Julielyn Gibbons that was in today's paper almost brought me to tears, remembering all the pain, the surgeries, the long hospital stays, the TPN and other medications, and most of all the dreams for a normal life that died long before Michelle did. Ms. Gibbons is showing a hell of a lot of pluck, as she's doing everything she can to raise awareness of this disease and money for helping others like her in addition to just getting on with her life - no small feat for someone with this condition, believe me. You can make a general donation at the website, or for specific riders. To do that, you'd need the riders name and number. Julielyn Gibbons is # S-43, her friend Chelsea Hannert is S-53. Donate only if you feel moved to do so. Thanks for reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Pretty amazing, Joe. Thanks for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonym Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Last November i was admitted into hospital with suspected Crohn's and chatted with a guy in the bed next to me about it's long term affects. I am certainly moved to donate Joe, especially knowing now that you lost your nearest through the disease. Thanks for that link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Thanks, Tony. I hope all is well with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 I found a link for the newspaper article, although I'm not sure how long the link will work. It's such an inspiring story that I thought others would enjoy reading it. http://lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/...=73251185777967 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Thanks Rachel; looks like it's still up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I'm in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Wow, I have been so awed by the support of Joe and everyone here at Organissimo as I prepare for my bike ride. Thank you, so very much. Joe's courage in sharing his and Michelle's story has touched me deeply, and I promise to carry Michelle with me as I ride next month in Washington State. It's people like Joe and Michelle that are the inspiration for why I'm doing this ride. So many people, too many people, live daily with Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis, with no known cause or cure. It's a devasting disease, and I hope to help find an answer to all of our suffering. Since that fantastic article by Nicole Geary at the Lansing State Journal came out last week, I've heard from people as far away as California, Texas and New York, and plenty who suffer daily right here in Lansing. A boy, as young as 10, right here in Lansing, going through ostomy surgery to alleviate his Crohn's, and woman who has spent her life's work researching Crohn's and hasn't had the courage to talk to her doctor about the ostomy surgery that she needs have emailed me to say thank you. I'm overwhelmed. And then there's all of you, perfect strangers, united by music, the universal language, who have stepped up and supported myself and the other riders. I feel truly blessed. I do have good news to report as well. The June Get Your Guts in Gear Ride in New York raised more than $250,000! We're hoping to well surpass that next month in the Pacific Northwest ride. I promise to keep you posted! Thank you again, so much. www.ibdride.org Julielyn Gibbons S-43 Chelsea Hannert S-53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Just goes to show that when you are doing what you believe in, doors will open, and support can come from unexpected places. And that attitude is everything. Thanks for getting in touch with us here, Julielyn, and do keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annmarie Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Thanks to Joe and organissimo for spreading the good word about Get Your Guts In Gear, and BEST WISHES to Julielyn, Chelsea, and everyone else putting tires to pavement for this great cause. You are a true inspiration, Julielyn. May God bless you on your journey, on the bike and off! Annmarie (Joey's cousinissimo) ...and thanks, Rachel, for the link to the article. Not often enough do we see light shed on Crohn's and the people it affects, and that article was informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Oh great. Now I'm going to be known around here as "Joey". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Very cool. Good luck on the ride, Julielyn, and please keep us informed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegloss Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Hi Julielyn, I am Joey's siter, Julie. I just wanted to let you know that I donated in Chelsea's name so that she can accompany you on your amazing trek. You are sure to have a wonderful experience out there, and we will be thinking of you. You are a strong woman and I admire your persistence and dedication to the organization. Best of luck to you and thank you for creating awareness. Sincerely, Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 (edited) Wow! Thank you everyone again so much! I just wanted to let all of you know, that you can read more about me, the ride, and how Chelsea and I are doing on our journey through a page I've created on MySpace. I tried to make the page as informative as possible, and there's lots of great resources for everyone to be educated. www.myspace.com/julielynrides On there I have set up a scrolling Honorarium for everyone who I will be riding for. I want to see this list grow, so please email me if you would like add the name of yourself or a loved one. As soon as I figure out html (I'm self-teaching myself right now) I'll be putting up a fundraising thermometer so you can see how Chelsea and I are doing towards our goals. I hope to also post pictures during the ride so you can literally be there with me as we ride. Thank you again, and keep checking back as the ride grows closer! With Gratitude, ~Julielyn Edited July 30, 2006 by Julielyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 First off, I have some good news. Chelsea is up to $900, and to the halfway mark of reaching her required fundraising mark of $1850. For those of you who donated, thank you! This humid Michigan heat is making it unbearable to ride in, so I'm working on doing some cross-training in the form of swimming and working out in the gym. The Honor Wall on my Myspace Page is growing, and I'm hoping to make it even longer! If you know someone who has Crohn's/Ulcerative Colitis or an ostomy and you want me to ride for them, email me, or private message me on here. Right now I have people from 10 different states represented on the Honor Roll. I hope that come Aug. 18th, its up to all 50 states and even some other countries! I've included Joe and Organissimo under my "Special Thanks Goes To..." section, and I hope that they get lots of new fans out of it! I must admit, I'm running into a bit of a brick wall getting the Detroit media interested. I can't really figure it out either. There's 2 well-known local TV personalities who are both active with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, but neither one of them has returned phone calls or emails. Something interesting, Michigan has a really high number of people with IBD, partly due to the large Jewish population, particularly in SE Michigan. IBD is more common in people of certain Jewish ancestry (doctors don't know why). If anyone has any connections in the Detroit media that might be interested, by all means, please send them my way! Thanks again everyone!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 More good news!!! Today I found out that so far I've raised $5060!!!!! The last batch of donations that came in were from folks all over the country, most of whom I don't know, and I continue to feel honored and blessed. Chelsea is at $900, and so please keep her in mind as we focus on getting the additional $950 she needs to raise to meet the minimum fundraising goal of $1850 before the ride begins on the 17th. For those of you who'd like to follow me day-by-day as I continue on my journey, I've started posting a daily blog on my myspace page. Get a little glimpse into what it's like training for this HUGE ride from the eyes of someone with Crohn's Disease and an ostomy. Tomorrow I'll travel to the Rock 'n Roll capital - Cleveland, Ohio to continue to promote the Get Your Guts in Gear Bike Ride at the National Conference of the Young Ostomate and Diversion Alliance of America (YODAA) which is a support group of the United Ostomy Associations of America, for those of us 18 yr-olds to 30-somethings who live with ostomies. As Vice President of the UOAA it's my responsibility to represent the Executive Board to the various networks, such as (YODDA). I'll definitely be sharing the story of Joe and Michelle, and the generosity of all of you on this board. Since the article came out, I've been asked to speak for several groups. In September, I'll be speaking to the Lansing chapter of the UOAA in the Sparrow Medical Building. I'm awaiting confirmation of several other dates, and I'll keep you posted. I'm very pleased to share that both Chelsea and I will be at Organissimo's next Lansing show at the end of September at the Creole Gallery. It will be an honor for both of us and we hope to meet some of you there! Thank you so much again, ~Julielyn www.myspace.com/julielynrides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Didn't I say this lady has pluck? :rsmile: I had the pleasure of a brief meeting over iced tea with Julielyn yesterday, and I can report that she is just as ebullient and sincere in person. That's great news about the amount you've raised! And I have no doubt that Chelsea will get to where she needs to be. Good luck in Cleveland (and elsewhere), and drive safely. ---j. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 (edited) GREAT NEWS!!!! I found out yesterday (but I had to share it with Joe first!) that I have exceeded my personal goal of $10,000 in fundraising for the Get Your Guts in Gear bike ride!!! So many generous donors, and I know quite a few of them came from here, thanks to Joe, Jim, and everyone else!! In other great news, Chelsea is now up to $1645, just $205 shy of her minimum fundraising goal of $1850. Her personal goal is $3500, so if you haven't already, and are so inspired to give, please do!! www.ibdride.org All you need is her name, Chelsea Hannert, and her rider number S-53. I was lucky enough to see Joe last night, and I told him that my words of the month are "Wow!" and "Thank You!" and rightly so. Your generosity and faith in me continue to inspire and humble me. Please read the Lansing State Journal next Monday, the 14th, as they will be doing a follow-up story in the "Updates" section. For those of you outside of Michigan, you can read it online at www.lsj.com. If any of you have Crohn's Disease/Ulcerative Colitis and/or an ostomy, or know someone who does, please either email me, private message me, or leave me a message on the myspace page below so that I can ride in honor of you/them and add them to my Scrolling Honor Roll on the myspace page. You can also track me daily on my blog also on the myspace page. Thank you soooooo much again! ~Julielyn www.myspace.com/julielynrides Edited August 8, 2006 by Julielyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Congrats, Julie!!! C'mon folks, let's help meet Chelsea's goal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 So much I owe to all of you at Organissimo.org, particularly Joe, Jim, and Randy. I know without a doubt that if it weren't for all of you, this update would not have been possible in today's Lansing State Journal... http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...40347/1001/news All of you have helped me raise what is now amounting to almost $11,000 and still growing. It's amazing! Another reason for this post...the ride quickly approaches! It's this weekend, and Chelsea and I fly out of Detroit Thursday morning. We'll begin the ride at 6am on Friday morning, and hope to have each day's leg (all 70 miles worth of it) completed by 2 or 3pm, local time. I'll call soon after to a friend who's offered to very generously update my blog while I'm out there (no internet access in the campsites where we'll be staying each night). Best I can tell you is check around 8 or 9pm EST to see how things have gone for that day. I'll be back in Michigan on Monday evening, and do my best to truly update then. While I'm gone, I'd like to offer some food for thought. Even though I've not yet done the bike ride myself, I know I'll be back to do it next year. I just can't help but wonder if next year might find me with a rider or two from this forum? I think it would be a fantastic thing! Until next time... ~Julielyn www.myspace.com/julielynrides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Best of luck. I hope you find yourself feeling strong everyday out there. And have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) Julielyn asked me to post this letter here: Dear Friends - The big weekend has finally arrived!!!! I fly out of Detroit tomorrow morning for Washington state to start riding all 210 miles at 6am on Friday morning. Chelsea and I have lots of mixed emotions about this ride. Mostly it's pride, nervous anticipation, and a gung-ho attitude that we can do it!! This past week I've been dealing with kidney stones. I hope that by Friday morning they'll be gone. Chelsea's been dealing with a skin infection on her neck, and we both think that our bodies have a cruel sense of humor. :-) The big news --- we've raised $20,395 and we've been told to expect more between now and October, when all final donations are due. Broken down, I've raised $15,600, and Chelsea's at $4,795, which means that both of us have surpassed our personal goals! Thank you for helping us get there! Keep track of us each evening as we'll be blogging (web-logging for you non-Internet types) our rides each day at www.myspace.com/julielynrides and then just click at the top on "My Blog". Consequently, we won't have access to internet (we'll be updating by phone) so between Thursday and Monday when we return, please keep the emails to a minimum so my InBox isn't flooded. Thank you again soooooooo very much! In health and happiness, ~Julielyn Edited August 16, 2006 by Joe G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julielyn Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Hi Friends - Well last weekend was the ride, and what a fantastic time was had by all, particularly Chelsea and I! They say a picture was worth a thousand words, and so without breaking tradition, here is our thanks to all of you who helped us raise almost $21,000!!!! (The checks keep coming in - and folks have till the 1st of October to donate!) http://julielyn.smugmug.com/gallery/1802593/10/89889605 (click on the link to see the full size pic and read the poster!) The Lansing State Journal will be doing a follow-up story shortly, and I promise to share it with all of you. Just one question - will you ride with us next year? :-) (To see all 145 pictures from the trip visit http://julielyn.smugmug.com/gallery/1802593 and keep checking back on http://www.myspace.com/julielynrides for what happens next! In health and happiness, ~Julielyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Congratulations on a job well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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