5

,

T

AROUND TOWN

Prime Fighters

Supporters rally against
gastrointestinal diseases.

Right (top to bottom):

Jeanne Maxbauer
of Bloomfield Hills-
and Wendy Roth of

West Bloomfield

Leo Maxbauer and

Jeff Roth of West
Bloomfield

Beverly Liss of

Bloomfield Hills,
Adrienne Stamell

of Huntington
Woods and Eleanor
Jackier of West

Bloomfield

Jenny Berman of

West Bloomfield
and Traci Keliman

of Walled Lake

Below (left to right):

Sandy Wolf of West
Bloomfield and

Marty Fried of

West Bloomfield

Nancy Kantor of

West Bloomfield,
Lauren Riback of

New York and
Cheryl Riback of

Bloomfield Hills

22

ollywood drarrfas play out night-
ly on the big screen at
Birmingham's Uptown
Palladium Theatre. But when more than .
700 people packed the theater Nov. 28,
they had a real-life drama in mind which
affects 1.5 million Americans.
The crowd gathered for the 28th annual
gala Evening at the Movies to raise money
for the Michigan
Chapter of the
Crohns and Colitis
Foundation of
America. The funds
help pay for research,
education and sup-
port for patients liv-
ing with the debilitat-
Robin Schwartz ing gastrointestinal
Columnist
diseases.
"These are not
glamour diseases:'
said Dr. Ellen Zimmerman of Ann
Arbor, chairman of the Michigan
Chapter's board of trustees.
"They've made major strides in diag-
. nosis and-therapy, but the symptoms are
still difficult to tolerate and they affect
people in the prime of their lives:' she
said.
Tom Berman, 26, of West Bloomfield
knows that all too well. He was diagnosed
with colitis at the age of 8 and has under-
gone three major surgeries.
"It was definitely traumatic and at the
same time empowering;' said Berman
about growing up with the illness.

December 22 • 2005 pi

"Fortunately, I've been able to mentally
and physically overcome it and I think it's
made me a stronger person:' he said.
The surgeries have cured Berman's con-
dition, but there's still no cure for Crohn's
disease.
"That's our ultimate goal:' said Carol •
Roberts of Bloomfield Hills.
She helped found the Michigan Chapter
in 1973. "It hasn't happened yet, but we're
not giving up:' she said.
The fund-raising effort is part of the
fight. Organizers hoped to raise more
than $130,000 at the event, which includ-
ed a special reception for major donors
and a pre-glow with mingling and hors
d'oeuvres. Participants also saw the pre-
miere of the romantic comedy Yours,
Mine and Ours starring Dennis Quaid and
Rene Russo.
In addition, the event gave the organi-
zation the opportunity to honor longtime
supporters Jean and Howard Dubin of
Bloomfield Hills.
"We're thrilled and excited and honored
we're being honored:' Jean Dubin said.
"Their leadership over the years has
enabled the gala to generate funds that
support important research for Crohn's
and colitis;' said Bernie Riker of
Huntington Woods, executive director of
the Michigan Chapter. "Each year, they
ask an incredible number of people to
support the event and the response has
been overwhelming." ❑

More fun photos are on JNOnline.com.