A group of very brave people is going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in order to raise money to find a cure for EE. Their goal is to conquer Eosinophilic disease, which currently has no cure. You can help support their efforts with your donation.
You have probably heard about people doing a Race for the Cure or having a Walk for the Cure for various diseases. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a situation where people are going to climb a mountain for a cure. It isn’t just any mountain, either. It’s Mt. Kilimanjaro, the largest free standing mountain in the world.
Climb For EE is taking on this challenge in order to raise money to find a cure for EE. The money will go directly to the CURED foundation. It is a non-profit foundation that is dedicated to children and adults who are suffering from eosinophilic enteropathy, (in all its forms). The disease has had an increase of people who have been diagnosed with it. Sadly, there is no cure for it at this time.
EE stands for Eosinophilic Esophagitis. It can also be abbreviated as EoE. It is a condition that may mimic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and the symptoms can vary from one child who has EE to another who has it.
Symptoms include poor weight gain, (which is also called “failure to thrive”). A child who has EE may refuse to eat. He or she could have heartburn, or experience vomiting that is often occurring with meals. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing, pain or discomfort with swallowing, or food becoming lodged within the esophagus.
Often, food allergies are a cause of EE in children. Removing the foods that a child is allergic to from his or her diet can alleviate some of the symptoms of EE. Symptoms that are not controlled can lead to severe scarring of the gastrointestinal track, as well as other life threatening conditions.
Climb for EE is going to team up two adults who do not have EE with 1 child who does have it, in order to make a team of three. There will be a total of 20 adults and 10 children involved in the climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. If you want to help find the cure for EE, you can make a donation. Or, you can join one of their Expedition Support Teams, by donating a minimum of $193.41. That amount equals $0.01 per foot climbed.
For more information, you can visit the Climb for EE website. You can also follow them on Twitter @climbforee. They also have a Facebook page.
Image by Neville10 on Flickr