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Teacher works to spread the word about Crohn’s disease

Katherine Marshall
Posted 8/10/16

MIDDLEBURG – After years of medical concerns and rounds of testing, an emergency appendectomy and the removal of a foot of her small intestine, April Martin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at …

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Teacher works to spread the word about Crohn’s disease


Posted

MIDDLEBURG – After years of medical concerns and rounds of testing, an emergency appendectomy and the removal of a foot of her small intestine, April Martin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 23.

Crohn’s and colitis are painful, medically incurable inflammatory bowel diseases that affect around 1.6 million people across the United States. according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Today, Martin works to raise awareness about the ailment and encourage those with it, to keep fighting.

“I think of Crohn’s as very inconvenient,” said Martin, who teaches economics and American history at Middleburg High. “When you’re in the middle of dealing with teenagers all day long or giving the kids a bath at night, it’s just not convenient to have. Sometimes you plan your life around access to the bathroom. I can tell you where any bathroom is in many restaurants and malls. When you have Crohn’s, you have to be resourceful.”

As a five-year member of the planning committee for Take Steps Jacksonville, Martin is always the first to suggest creating t-shirts proudly displaying their cause – finding a cure for Crohn’s and colitis. Getting the word out about her disease is just as important as raising money to Martin, and she is able to do both as not only a planning committee member, but also a runner, coach and ambassador for Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis.

“I communicate with everyone around me, friends, colleagues, so people know that I need help,” she said. “When you’re suffering from a disease that can really be embarrassing at times, it’s hard for some people to talk about, and some people are so shy. But that’s why I want to make sure that I’m telling my story. I want to help people find a way to be able to talk about it and to make it easier for others.”

Martin became involved with Take Steps after responding to a Facebook post by the North Florida Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, an organization dedicated to finding cures and improving the lives of those with the diseases. A runner since she was a child, Martin’s involvement with CCFA over the past eight years quickly moved from being a member of the planning committee of Take Steps to traveling across the country as a runner and a coach for Team Challenge, CCFA’s half marathon fundraiser.

“People have asked over the years if I’ve ever been involved in a support group, and I haven’t, because the people that I’ve met along the way through Team Challenge and Take Steps, they’ve really been my support group,” said Martin. “It’s awesome to be able to connect with all these people. I’m very open about my battle with my disease, and I consider it a privilege to be able to influence other people’s lives.”

With the help of organizers, fundraisers, and participants like Martin, Take Steps Jacksonville’s 2016 walk, held April 30 at Riverside Park, saw almost 300 participants and met their goal of raising more than $50,000 for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.

For Martin, however, fundraisers like Take Steps and Team Challenge are less about raising money, and more about raising awareness.

“It’s cool to wear pink every October, and everybody knows about breast cancer. Crohn’s and colitis is harder to make popular,” said Martin. “Let’s be honest, nobody wants to talk about poop, so it’s really hard for some people to talk about. But the more we get this out there, the more questions people ask. If people can at least know a little bit about what we’re going through, we can make everyone’s lives a little easier.”

Martin’s advice to others living with Crohn’s and colitis – maintain a sense of humor.

“I have moments where I have my pity parties, but for the most part I can laugh about it,” she said. “There have been a few times where I’ve barreled right through the finish line, straight to the bathroom! You’re either going to laugh or cry and 98 percent of the time, I choose to laugh.”