Cameron Cox is the 2012 Team Challenge Honored Hero. He has been living with Crohn's disease for the last four years.
For the last four years, Cameron Cox of East Orlando has been living with Crohn's disease, a chronic and often painful digestive disease.
He has always been a very healthy child. He is super active in sports, loves traveling with his family and hanging out at the beach. He would never get sick. Then one day he did.
At first the doctor told his mom that he had a stomach virus and was advised to let it run its course. Then he had blood work, and the doctor was still at a loss. Cam was then sent to see a Pediatric Gastroenterologist.
His diagnosis was a long and painful experience. Cam spent February through April of 2008 going from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, and having test after test. He was constantly being told, “Drink this, sit still, hold your breath, don’t move!”
He had fierce stomach and intestinal pains and a lot of diarrhea and even some blood in his stool. At this point, he had lost 24 pounds from having chronic diarrhea and could hardly eat anything.
Finally he had to have two procedures called a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. He was so scared to get the I-V as well as the anesthesia. These two tests and the biopsy finally gave Cam’s parents his diagnosis: Crohn’s disease.
All he wanted to do was go to school, play sports and hang out with his friends and family. Cam’s life, as he knew it, had changed forever. He had lost so much of his freedom. There are days Cam just can’t get out of bed because of the pain.
Cam really tries to have a good attitude toward his new daily routine. He has to take up to 16 pills a day now. He continues to have a “normal” childhood and still loves to play golf, basketball, and volleyball as long as he feels up to it. He wakes up each morning and faces the day as it comes to him. There are days where Cam feels sorry for himself, and then he can hear his mom’s gentle words of encouragement, “suck it up cupcake-pity party is now over, that train has left the station.” She hugs him and kisses him on the head and he moves on.
Cam wishes he did not have Crohn’s disease. He deals with it the best he can with the support of his family, friends and his wonderful doctors. He knows there are others out there far worse than him, but with your help you can help us find a cure for this awful disease.
Join Team Challenge, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s half marathon training program during the summer 2012 race season for the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon.
The Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon is the newest and fifth event in the Wine Country Half Marathon series, and the first held in the eastern U.S. Held in Loudoun County, this race course is a scenic 13.1 mile race, starting and finishing at bucolic Doukenie winery. Come visit DC's fabulous wine country while helping make a difference with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
When you train with Team Challenge you will receive everything you need to cross the finish line, including training by two professional coaches, round-trip airfare to Virginia, ground transportation, race entry with race day shirt, threenight night hotel stay, team challenge pre-race pasta party, and an amazing wine festival after party.
Contact Amy Stickel at astickeltemp@ccfa.org or 646-875-2079 for more information or visit www.ccteamchallenge.org.
Lindsey Gardner is the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's endurance manager