D.C. will join nearly 30 cities nationwide on Saturday that will be “spinning” for a cure.
Spin4 Crohn’s & Colitis Cures is billed as a party on a bike, but you don’t have to be a spin cyclist to visit the event on Transit Pier at The Wharf.
“Someone can ride, someone can just cheer, or be there to support others,” Rhonda Casper said. “Patron’s going to be there, so there’s going to be tequila; there’s other fun events that’ll be happening for the kids.”
Casper is among an estimated 3 million Americans who have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and will be one of the Zengo Cycle instructors leading the two-hour class.
“You can sign up for as much or as little as you would like,” Casper said. “You can pay to ride for the full two hours or you can do it in 30-minute increments.”
Online registration is available and Saturday at the event. Casper stresses that all fitness levels are welcome.
“There’s no judgment ever, everyone goes at their own pace, takes a break when they need to. It’s just to have fun and raise awareness,” she said.
More than 80 cents of every dollar raised goes toward research, education and patient support services across the nation.
“Because there’s not a cure for it, there are treatments that sometimes don’t work for people. So, unless you find the right treatment, the right diet to work for you — every single day is a challenge. It’s literally your body attacking your intestines,” Casper said. Some people can’t eat solid foods.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are autoimmune, inflammatory bowel diseases that can cause persistent diarrhea, stomach pain, internal bleeding, weight loss and fatigue.
Capser’s condition caused her small intestine to burst, prompting emergency surgery in which doctors removed 50% of her bowel and just over a foot of her small intestine. When she was 25 years old, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her feet and lower back.
She said she never gets a good night’s sleep and, because her immune system is “always running low,” is prone to catching illnesses, such as colds.
“It’s a disease that’s not talked about very much … what I describe as an invisible disease because unless you have it, it’s not something you would know,” Casper said. “So, [the event] is trying to bring awareness to it and ultimately finding a cure for it — both Crohn’s and colitis.”
