As a small, all-volunteer nonprofit we strongly believe as Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
With determination, we seek to improve the lives of Crohn’s patients. We know that the current treatments have helped improve the lives of some patients, but not nearly enough. We know we can do better. Thus, we are on the move, advocating for better, safer treatments, and one day, a CURE.
With these goals in mind and with the understanding that the more people we can enlist in our vision, the more likely we will succeed. In mid-October 2021 Propel a Cure set off for Washington D.C. to secure the support of Senator William Cassidy. Senator Cassidy is a gastroenterologist and is well aware of the issues surrounding Crohn’s disease and thus he is one of the more informed representatives in Washington. He warmly received us in his office and listened to our concerns. He was particularly intrigued by the information regarding bioelectronic medicine that Kelly Owens and Eric Chang from the Feinstein Institutes provided. He was also quite attentive to the concerns that Ildiko Mehes brought to his attention regarding the near decade long delays in FDA approval of drugs for pediatric IBD patients compared to adults, as well as the absence of a long-term drug agnostic safety registry. Senator Cassidy pledged his support and said we could count on him as an ally.
Eric Chang, Ildiko Mehes, Annabelle Hall, Senator Cassidy, Kelly Owens and Angela Clark
Then in February we once again got on the road, this time to Long Island in New York, to visit the Feinstein Institutes. There, Kelly Owens organized an amazing tour of the facilities, where we met with top scientists who are conducting incredibly exciting work, which holds enormous potential to change the lives of not only those who are suffering from Crohn’s disease but also from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, PTSD, certain cancers and even Macular Degeneration. Their work is creative, innovative, and most importantly for us, HOPEFUL! We need more trials using bioelectronic medicine as a treatment for Crohn’s disease and we need them now. We urge those who can, who have the resources to conduct such trials to make them happen.
Kelly Owens, Angela Clark, Annabelle Hall, Sangeeta S. Chavan and Eric Chang
Propel a Cure will continue to make repeat trips to Washington D.C. We will continue to seek out scientists who are doing creative work that pushes beyond the boundaries of the status quo. We need answers and we need innovation, and most importantly we need community, collaboration, and unity among all the stakeholders so that we can conquer Crohn’s. Although the disease was described as early as the 18th century by Giovanni Morgagni, it was after Burrill Crohn and colleagues in 1932 presented 12 case studies to the American Medical Association that it became a medical condition. To this day, we still do not understand the etiology. It is time for that lack of understanding to change.