CampaignsThe 2017 Gusty Walk was another great success!

Last Sunday, the 22^nd annual Gutsy Walk took place in more than 70 locations across Canada, and it was a huge success! This wonderful philanthropic activity is Canada’s largest community event committed to raising funds and awareness for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
 
Canadians have more reasons to be concerned about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis than anyone else in the world, with nearly 250,000 Canadians living with these diseases. That’s 1 in 150 Canadians living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Even more alarming is the rate at which children are being diagnosed: Crohn’s disease has doubled in kids under 10 years old since 1995. Families new to Canada are developing Crohn’s and colitis for the first time – often within the first generation. (Crohn’s and Colitis, 2017)
 
"Year after year, I am amazed at the tenacity of fundraisers and the generosity of Canadians at large," said Mina Mawani, President and CEO of Crohn's and Colitis Canada. "The money raised through our Gutsy Walk is critical in helping us fund research, advocacy, and patient programs – all of which are vital to improving the quality of life of our patients and ultimately our quest to find the cures. It's making a dramatic difference today, as Crohn's and Colitis Canada has become one of the top funders of Crohn's and colitis research in the world." (Crohn’s and Colitis, 2017)
 
We, at A.K.A. raisin, are so proud to take part in the inspiring work that they do to help provide patient programs, advocacy and awareness, as well as to invest in research. This year alone, over $3.2M was raised, and you can still help this amazing cause by giving your contribution here. They will be accepting donations until July 5^th.
 
The Gutsy Walk website is a great example of how to leverage our latest peer-to-peer fundraising module to provide users with the best-in-class fundraising experience. Paired with the talent of the folks at our digital agency, A.K.A. New Media Inc., we were able to create a completely custom web template to help represent Crohn’s and Colitis’ cause and values. The use of distinctive call-to-actions, dynamic social widgets, a custom event thermometer, a countdown, and much more, made the whole site more engaging and user-friendly!
 
Here are a few photos from the event: