Intense Intestines Foundation Blog

Brian Hikes and Climbs the 46 High Peaks for IBD and Ostomy Awareness

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

 

Hello I.I.F. Supporters,

Online fundraising for Brian Hikes The 46 High Peaks

As many of you know, I suffer from severe Crohn’s disease and have an ileostomy. The journey of my life so far has not been the easiest, but I believe in living life to the fullest and not letting my disease get in the way of that goal. Now, I want to impart what I have learned about overcoming the obstacles in my path to live as normal and active a life as possible to others with IBD conditions.

I’ll be hiking/climbing the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks with a goal date to finish the highest peak on October 6th, World Ostomy Day.  Completing the 46 mountains isn’t an easy task as the terrain on many of them is very challenging. Add to that my Crohn’s and ostomy and some would say it’s a crazy feat, but it’s one I’m ready to conquer. My hope is to show others that with the right planning and preparation, a person living with an IBD or an ostomy can do anything.

Please help me reach my goal of raising $4,600 for the Intense Intestines Foundation to help raise awareness andcreate the Intense Intestines Scholarship.  All proceeds will go towards helping others with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ostomies. If you contribute $100 or more, I’ll dedicate a summited peak in your name as I complete all 46 mountains for each $100.

Thank you for your support and help in this exciting project to help others with IBD and ostomies know that anything can be accomplished and to Never Stay Quiet.

Brian Phillip Greenberg

Founder/President

Currently Completed Peaks: Porter Mountain (4059′), Cascade Mountain (4098′), Esther Mountain (4239′), Whiteface Mountain (4865′).

Dedicated Peaks:

No peaks have been dedicated yet.

Leave Brian a comment:

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, IBD News, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Media, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2nd Annual Climb for Crohn’s & Colitis (Saturday, May 18th)

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

551349_467131460025195_818954018_n

It’s that time for the climb again! The Intense Intestines Foundation is excited to invite you to our 2nd Annual Climb for Crohn’s & Colitis event. (You don’t have to climb to come down and have a good time)

In honor of World IBD Day 2013, we will be hosting our 2nd Annual Climb on Saturday, May 18th at The Rock Club in New Rochelle, NY. Similar to last year, the event will include open climbing, a silent auction, an after party with food and beverages, and raffle prizes.

The raffle includes prizes from the North Face, EMS, Wilton Outdoor Sports, Phillips, Alue Optics, Noelle, The Rock Club, the IIF, and More!

Tickets can be purchased in advance at a discounted rate of $45 here:

http://2ndclimbforcrohnsandcolitis.eventbrite.com/

Tickets include: climbing day pass, harness, shoes, instruction, ONE drink during the after party, ONE raffle ticket, and food during the after party.

The Rock Club is the premiere indoor rock climbing gym in the area, and we are excited to be invited back for our 2nd Annual Climb to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

DTE_IIF_Climb_2012-2421

All proceeds from the event will be going to support the Intense Intestines Foundation and to raise awareness for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

You’ll be helping the IIF with programs such as:

The Intense Intestines Scholarship (IBD and ostomy scholarship)

Never Stay Quiet Video Series (Awareness video series)

Never Stay Quiet Ambassador Program (Patient assistance program)

Intense Intestines Social (IBD and ostomy social network)

and MORE!

Visit our website www.intenseintestines.org to learn more about all of our programs.

Please come down and help us in our mission to help as many people with these diseases as possible and have a great time while doing it. Together we can show people with Crohn’s and colitis that they should Never Stay Quiet. 

We can’t wait to see you all again at the event this year and climb for a cause!

Screen Shot 2013-04-22 at 3.49.02 AM

Posted in General, Intense Intestines Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IIF Press Release: Intense Intestines Scholarship

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

Screen Shot 2012-02-27 at 11.03.52 AM

April 8, 2013

Dear IIF Follower:

I am proudly writing to inform you of our latest project.  The IIF team has been working hard to establish a scholarship fund dedicated to easing the financial burdens that students and their families face as a result of their IBD.

We know that life with IBD is not easy.  Students are often forced to make the difficult decisions of withdrawing from classes in lieu of the cost of testing, treatments and recovery.  The monetary implications of IBD can be compounded further as it frequently takes a student additional time to complete their degree.

One of our missions is to award scholarships to college aged students suffering from moderate to severe IBD.  Thus we have launched the Intense Intestines Scholarship Program (“IISP”) and we are eager to fulfill our mission.

As of today, I am very pleased to announce that we are officially accepting applications for IISP.  Applications can be found on the IIF website, by clicking the link found at the bottom of this page.

At the same time, we need your help spreading the word about our scholarship program.  We are asking our friends, families, colleagues and supporters to reach out and share our drive and passion in making the IISP a success.

I thank you in advance for your support in the coming months as we begin IISP’s journey.  We are very excited to hear from applicants and to read their stories.  With your help we can keep the IISP going and growing for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Brian Greenberg

Intense Intestines Scholarship Page 

Posted in General, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Press | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Riding the Five Boro Bike Tour for Crohn’s, Colitis & Ostomy Awareness

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

This May 5th  the Intense Intestines Foundation has a team of riders which will be riding through all five boroughs of New York City for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ostomy awareness.

The 44 mile ride goes through the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and of course Manhattan.  Covering many well known areas such as Central Park and going over many New York City bridges.

Screen Shot 2013-01-29 at 1.33.34 PM

 

We need your help to reach our fundraising goal for this ride of $1,000.  All donations go to our mission of helping those with IBD and ostomies.  They help the IIF with:

  • The Intense Intestines Scholarship
  • The Never Stay Quiet Programs
  • Intense Intestines Social
  • And more

Please consider a donation of any amount, since every bit helps us reach our goals in the IBD and ostomy communities.  You can make a contribution to any of our riders by clicking the link below.

 

http://www.razoo.com/team/Intense-Intestines-Cycling-The-Big-Apple

 

Everyone who makes a donation of $20 or more will also receive a Intense Intestines Never Stay Quiet wristband.

Never Stay Quiet Wristband

Thank you so much for you help and support with the Intense Intestines Five Boro Bike Tour ride.

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

March Partnership with Awestomy

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

We’re proud to announce our March partnership with Awestomy.  Awestomy is an amazing company helping those with ostomies and raising awareness for the cause.

Awestomy site

Awestomy makes great products for ostomy awareness and also comfort.  Their line of products range from comfortable wraps and underwear for women to wear, to shirts which raise ostomy awareness and bring a little humor to the cause as well.

Please visit their website by clicking the link below and check out all the products they have to offer.  During the month of March 15% of all purchases will go to the Intense Intestines Foundation and help us in our cause to assist those with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ostomies.

 http://www.awestomy.com

Awestomy Shity

 

Posted in Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy | 1 Comment

The IIF’s New Never Stay Quiet Awareness Campaign

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

The Intense Intestines Foundation is always looking for new ways to reach as many people as possible and raise awareness for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ostomies.  A couple of our main goals are to show people that they can live a normal life with the right planning and preparation, as well as to open up about their disease and know that it’s okay to discuss everything they’re going through.

This is why we’ve created the Never Stay Quiet campaign for IBD and ostomy awareness.  The main goals of this campaign is to show others with IBD and/or ostomies that it’s okay to discuss their condition with others and raise awareness themselves, as well as open up so they can feel better about themselves.  Another goal of the campaign is to allow those who don’t know much about an IBD or ostomy, that even though patients might suffer from many symptoms we can overcome the diseases and live a normal life.

We’ll be shooting videos with many different people of different genders, ages, ethnicities, diseases and more for the Never Stay Quiet campaign.  This way everyone with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and/or ostomies will be able to find a video with a story they can connect too.

Here is our first video from IIF follower Marisa, who was nice enough to share her story.  The words Never Stay Quiet have a very important place in her life.

For more information on the IIF’s Never Stay Quiet campaign, please visit our campaign page here.

We look forward to helping as many people as possible with this project and raise more awareness for Crohn’s, colitis and ostomies.

Never Stay Quiet!

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, IBD News, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Inspirational Stories, Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The IIF Is Now 501(c)(3) Certified

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

Since we started our mission at the Intense Intestines Foundation we applied for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS for full tax exempt status as a nonprofit.  Today we’re happy to announce that the IRS has granted us that 501(c)(3) status.

This certification opens up many doors for the IIF, which we’re excited to walk through.  It will allow us to grow, raise more awareness and help more people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ostomies.

If you have donated to the IIF or would like to donate to the IIF, you can now write your donation off when you prepare your taxes.  Please feel free to contact us about our certification so you can receive the write off which you deserve for helping our organization.  You can email us at Info@IntenseIntestines.org.

You can make a donation buy clicking the link at the top of our page.  Thank you so much for your support and we’re excited about what’s ahead for the Intense Intestines Foundation.

Never Stay Quiet!

Posted in General, Intense Intestines Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Escape the Stall Campaign by the CCFA

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

CCFA Escape the Stall Campaign

In recent days we’ve seen many posts about the new Escape the Stall campaign by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.  Social media sites have been buzzing about the campaign and many people have been sharing their feelings about the pictures the CCFA has released to raise IBD awareness.

Influential people in the IBD community like Jessica Grossman of Uncover Ostomy have written about the campaign (Click here for Jessica’s post) and Sara Ringer of Inflamed and Untamed wrote about it as well (Click here for Sara’s post).  To many people to count have commented on these two posts and other posts on various Facebook pages or Twitter accounts, all sharing different and varying thoughts.  Most people in the IBD community seem to be viewing the campaign in a negative way.

We made this short video with the pictures from the Escape the Stall campaign.

These pictures have been seen in movie theaters, magazines, newspapers and other areas to raise IBD awareness.  We’d like to know what you think and hear your thoughts.  Please feel free to leave a comment and start a discussion on the topic here or on our Youtube page.  It might be good feedback for the CCFA.

Never Stay Quiet!

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, IBD News, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Public Bathroom With No Stall Door

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Brian Greenberg
Stall with no door.

Sometimes there are just things that aren’t right in society.  Some of them we can’t do anything about, others though we can have a voice and make changes.  The other day I was at a local sports bar in Norwalk, CT and when I went to the bathroom there was no door on the stall.  As an Inflammatory bowel disease patient for the last 20 years and one who lives with an ostomy now, I was amazed to see this.  How could an established sports bar like this one not have something as simple as a door on their stall?

I took a moment to think about while I was there.  Being someone who is extremely comfortable with my ostomy I had used it.  My thought process was that whoever might walk into the bathroom right now will just get a lesson in ostomy awareness.  It might just be another chance for me to bring awareness to the cause.

As I was sitting there doing my thing, I began to think about all the other people in a similar situation as me or how about just regular people who might want a little privacy when they use the bathroom.  As a Crohn’s patient I thought about all my IBD friends who wouldn’t be comfortable with this.  What about those few that have an ostomy who don’t wish for others to see it, how are they supposed to handle this situation when they need to use the bathroom?

This is something that any person might not know about until it’s to late.  They would get to the restaurant, eat a good meal, all of a sudden have the urge to go, get to the bathroom and have no choice.  Someone with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis wouldn’t have a choice.  When the urge hits, you have to go and many times you have to go at that moment.  Sometimes without even enough time to get a friend to watch the door for you if you aren’t comfortable.

Needless to say I’m writing a letter to the owner of the restaurant.  This situation is something that shouldn’t be a situation at all.  How can a bar not have a door on their stall?  I understand that if it were a straight bar or club trying to be trendy, or maybe that will deter people from making a mess, doing drugs, or using the bathroom in any other way that it wasn’t meant for.  But what about the rest of us, the 99% of patrons that just might need to go to the bathroom and would like a little privacy.

I will let you know the outcome of writing management and the owner.  This is a perfect example of how we should…

 Never Stay Quiet!

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, IBD News, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Intense Intestines Scholarship Update

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Brian Greenberg

Hello IIF Followers,

Recently we’ve been getting many emails about the Intense Intestines Scholarship.  We clearly see that our mission of awarding a scholarship is a necessary one.  With all of the interest in the scholarship we now know that we choose the right purpose for much of our fundraising efforts.  We thought that there weren’t enough scholarships available for those with IBD or ostomies.  Even though we wish that a scholarship wasn’t needed, it clearly is to help young adults with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or ostomies get their higher education.

Currently we’re putting together the guidelines and rules for the Intense Intestines Scholarship.  As soon as we have them ready we’ll be posting them to our scholarship page and creating an online form to apply.  We hope to have this ready as soon as possible.  Our goal is to gather applicants in the near future and start the selection process for the Fall 2013 semester.

We ask you for your patience as we set up the Intense Intestines Scholarship.  As a start up charity, we want to make sure that we can give the best scholarship possible and that it is setup properly.  Please continue to check our site for updates as we get closer to accepting applications.

Thank you for you interest in the Intense Intestines Scholarship and for your patience,

Brian Greenberg
Founder/President
Never Stay Quiet

Posted in Crohn's Disease, General, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Intense Intestines Foundation, Ostomy, Ulcerative Colitis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments