Jalena and Jason Baumgardner will be running in their first half marathon to raise money to fight Chron’s disease and Colitis.

Jalena Baumgardner (Gump), a 2001 graduate of Hundred High School and the daughter of Olivia and Sheridan Gump of Hundred, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in May 2006.

Although the beginning battle with finding a medicine that would control the symptoms was tough, she now lives a fairly normal and active life. However, currently, the disease has no cure.

Jalena and her husband, who reside in Charlotte, N.C., have decided to take matters into their own hands. They have committed to raise $5,600 to help fund research to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and Colitis. They will be running their first half marathon on June 27 in Boston. This is a 13.1 mile race to raise funds and awareness for research leading to a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Although their intense training will take place in Charlotte, Jalena is asking for the support of her hometown community. Personal, business, or in-kind donations are welcomed and greatly appreciated.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are known together as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. The cause of IBD remains unknown.

However, the effectiveness of recently developed treatment methods and steady advances in research brings us closer every day to finding the cause and probable cure of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Join them in the fight against Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, a disease which has claimed over 1.4 million American lives. Donations are tax deductible, and if you donate $100 or more they will dedicate a mile in Boston to you or in honor of someone you know who may be affected by these diseases. Their personal fund raising date goal is to have a majority of donations in by April 24.

Visit their Web site at “http://www.active.com/donate/boston10carolina/boston10jbaumga”>www.active.com/donate/boston10carolina/boston10jbaumga or send a check made out to the CCFA to their address at 10170 Falling Leaf Drive, Concord, NC 28027. Donate today and help them find a cure for these diseases.