Levittown residents Christina Lang and Jeanine Bradley crossed the finish line of the Boston 13.1 Half Marathon on June 27 in hopes of finding a cure for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
Lang and Bradley teamed up with Team Challenge and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for these diseases through their participation in half-marathons across the country. This year alone, these two residents have managed to raise over $15,000 for their cause, proving that their condition won’t take over their life.
For the 1.4 million Americans suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, the inconveniences of pain, daily medications, and hospital visits can greatly interfere with daily life. However, these two residents of Levittown have turned their personal suffering into a fight for a cure.
This past June, Lang completed her first half-marathon in Boston in honor of her husband who is suffering from Crohn’s Disease. Despite her husband’s cheerful and optimistic spirit, Lang felt helpless watching her husband suffer and decided to do something. This led her to join Team Challenge with her niece, Justine in honor of her husband and all those affected by the disease.
When Bradley was first diagnosed with Crohn’s disease 25 years ago, it wasn’t only the pain and constant hospital stays that defeated her spirit, but also the feeling that she was suffering alone. Despite the constant love and support from her family and loved ones, she felt that no one else understood what she was going through, until she discovered the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Through this, she found a community that understood and could relate to her suffering. This has given her strength and hope in her fight and as a result she joined Team Challenge in 2009 and completed her first half-marathon this past June.
The accomplishments of Long and Bradley bring them ever closer to a cure for these terrible diseases. Join them and many others like them in this fight!
In August, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation will begin to recruit for next season’s team, which will train for and participate in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Half-Marathon on December 5. Athletes of all levels who are interested are urged to contact the Long Island office of CCFA at (516) 222-5530 or visit www.ccteamchallenge.org for meeting dates and more information.
