GIOF Reaches $10K Goal for Mayo Clinic
In just over a month, the Gut It Out Foundation received support from IBD patients, family members, IBD organizations, partners within Major and Minor League Baseball and more.
"Thank you to my friends, family and IBD community for your overwhelming support and donations! I am excited to announce that with your help, we’ve reached our $10,000 goal and can contribute to the amazing research Mayo Clinic conducts," said Jake Diekman, Gut It Out Foundation President and Co-Founder. "Together, we are making an impact in the advancements of IBD research and it would not be possible without every single one of you."
Jake, along with his fiancée and caretaker, Amanda, experienced the unparalleled quality of care at Mayo Clinic for themselves while Jake underwent his three-part j-pouch surgeries. It was especially comforting for the two of them, as the staff at Mayo Clinic continued to root for Jake as he recovered.
“Wednesday evening, I saw Jake close out the ninth inning getting three straight Houston batters out. It is wonderful to see him return to the mound, doing what he loves this soon after his surgeries. His performance is a testament to his resiliency and dedication to his health and recovery. Also, his willingness to share his journey with others dealing with ulcerative colitis and the public is truly inspirational," said Dr. Robert Cima, Jake's surgeon. "We’re grateful for Jake’s gift. This gift will help Mayo Clinic accelerate our research in the field and seek better solutions for people who live with this condition.”
Supporting Mayo Clinic enables their scientists and physicians to accelerate the discovery, development, and application of life-changing therapies, surgical procedures, and technologies. With the Foundation's support, Mayo is creating a brighter future for inflammatory bowel disease patients around the word.
Click here to learn more about diagnosis, treatment and more at Mayo Clinic.
WHY DID THE GUT IT OUT FOUNDATION CHOOSE MAYO?
Mayo Clinic is committed to discovery and improvement of medical care through research. Mayo Clinic is a top referral center for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and each year thousands of patients are treated by their physicians. They have the unique ability to diagnose and treat patients with varying presentations of inflammatory bowel disease. Their team-based approach performs complex interventions and uses discovery science platforms to solve critical patient problems making Mayo Clinic the destination for patients’ “last best hope.”
MAYO UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES
It is imperative to identify better methods of treatment aside from immunosuppressive medications due to the primary intolerance, secondary loss of response, side effect profile, and cost of medical therapy. It is also imperative to work toward finding a cure for this debilitating disease. Physicians cannot treat what they do not understand. Mayo Clinic is working to uncover the root cause of inflammation and to reveal a more complete molecular characterization of the disease.
SUPPORTING RESEARCH
Mayo uniquely excels by bringing together scientists and physicians to obtain new fundamental knowledge and translate that knowledge into innovative clinical tools, and that’s exactly how they will enhance care for inflammatory bowel disorder.
Examples of the types of research activities the Gut It Out Foundation's fundraiser may support include:
Stem cell based therapy holds great promise for treating this chronic inflammatory state without the side effects of immunosuppressive medication. Through their human stem cell therapy lab, they are investigating stem cell based therapies such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells to heal wounds like the perianal fistulas experienced in Crohn’s disease.
Epidemiological studies are identifying specific risk factors and protective factors for the development of colorectal cancer and dysplasia among inflammatory bowel disease patients. More clarity will lead to better care for current patients and may provide indications of the best ways to prevent these diseases.
SUPPORTING CLINICAL TRIALS
Mayo Clinic is initiating several clinical trials related to the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Each clinical trial requires laboratory investigation and subsequent implementation into human trials. Human trials involve recruitment of patients and covering costs of the diagnostic and treatment interventions included in these trials.
Examples of the types of clinical trial activities the Gut It Out Foundations fundraiser may support include:
Human clinical trials for mesenchymal stem cells to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Phase 1 work shows great promise in completely healing the vast majority of patients’ fistulas.
Collection of colon and rectal tissues in order to better understand the genetics behind inflammatory bowel disease. For example, there is growing consensus that subtypes exist in Crohn’s Disease, each with its own presentation, genetic makeup, prognosis, and response to therapy. Subtype identification could enable physicians to more effectively individualize diagnosis and treatment to each Crohn’s patient
