at Camp Copneconic in Fenton, did
not exist. The summer program, one
of 10 camps nationwide funded by
donations to the CCFA, serves about
125 children ages 7-17 who have
Crohn's or colitis. Campers spend a
week away from home taking part in
activities like horseback riding and
arts and crafts with doctors and nurs-
es on hand to attend to their health
needs.
"For a lot of the children, it's really
a life-changing experience because
they begin to realize these other chil-
dren are dealing with the same issues
they're dealing with:' Riker said. "More
and more children are being diag-
nosed these days at younger ages."
"I wish something like that would
have existed when I was a kid,"
Berman said. "As a child, you have no
choice other than to deal with it and
be as resilient as you can."
Berman is now actively involved
in local fundraising efforts, which
support programs like the camp. He
was on the host committee for the
Michigan CUM annual Movie Gala in
November; it raised $135,000. A "Guts
and Glory" walk at Maybury State
Park in Northville next September is
expected to bring in another $145,000;
more than 1,000 people participated
last year.
"It's important to continue raising
money and getting people to volunteer
their time to help find a cure," Berman
said.
Added Fuller, "You can't let the
disease beat you up; you have to beat
it up. I know that when the kids are
young and teenagers, it's horrible. You
just have to be a survivor. You have to
learn to never give up and never give
in." II
Dr. Jason Bodzin: "Populations like
Jews and Chaldeans seem to be pre-
disposed to these diseases."
THE MERLE AND SHIRLEY HARRIS
BIRTHING CENTER AT
HURON VALLEY-SINAI HOSPITAL
• Beautiful, all private birthing suites, for labor, delivery,
recovery and postpartum (LDRP) care
•Anesthesiologists available 24 hours a day
• Complete-care nursery including full-time neonatology
service for infants with special needs
• High-risk pregnancy, infertility and genetics services*
Dr. Alan Cutler: "There hasn't nec-
essarily been a single gene identi-
fied — so, we're not quite there yet."
EXPECT THE BEST — To schedule a tour of the Merle and
Shirley Harris Birthing Center at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, call
(248) 937-5120. To schedule an appointment with one of our
physicians, call (888) DMC-2500.
Get Involved
• Mar. 27 — Michael Rubenstein
Benefit, Champps Americana
Restaurant, West Bloomfield
• Jun. 4 Golf Outing, Oakhurst
Golf Course, Clarkston
• Sept. 8 — Guts & Glory Walk,
Maybury State Park, Northville
—
Tom Berman: "From the ages of 6 to
12, I was in and out of hospitals and
on numerous medications."
DMC
Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital
MIRO
— IT MEIN.
-- CAL.-Ettlift
For more information about research, upcoming events or other
resources, contact the Michigan CCFA Chapter: 31313 Northwestern
Highway, Suite 209, Farmington Hills, MI 48334. Phone: (248) 737-
0900. E-mail: Michigan@ccfa.org. Toll- free: (888) 737-CCFA (2232).
1 William Carls Drive • Commerce, Michigan • 248-937-3300 • www.hvsh.org
At Commerce & Commerce in Commerce
*All in conjunction with Hutzel Women's Hospital and Wayne State University.
February 8 • 2007
15