LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 26, 2012) - More than 1.4 million American adults and children are affected by Crohns disease. That means one in every 200 people suffers daily with the digestive disease.

Those who suffer from Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis live day to day with intense pain, the threat of long-term hospital stays and multiple surgeries.

Many suffer in silence, but the Take Steps campaign is changing that by bringing this community together publicly and encouraging them to make noise and be heard.

The Arkansas chapter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation is holding their largest fundraising event Saturday, May 12th from 5-7 p.m

'Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis', an evening fundraising walk that begins with a festival on the lawn of the Clinton Presidential Center and ends with a 1 - 2 mile stroll with family and friends.

Enjoy a live DJ, dunking booth, food, Arkansas Children's Hospital Fire House, Bomb Squad trucks, carnival games like human tic tac toe, giant dice, Razorback Football Toss, lucky duck, go fishing, face painting, crazy hair spray, bounce house and much more.

There is no registration fee to participate in the event but all fundraising participants will receive an event wristband.  You must have a wristband to receive food and beverages.  Raise $100 and you will receive a Take Steps T-shirt.

The money raised through Take Steps helps support patient programs, enhances professional education efforts, and propels critical research for a cure. In the past four years alone, we succeeded in bringing together over 100,000 people and raised close to $32 million to help further the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's mission.

Today, the organization has grown to 40 local chapters, with more than $150 million raised and invested in research for a cure. This funding has enabled many groundbreaking treatments, improved the quality of care for people with these conditions, and brought the light of hope to countless lives.

(Source: Crohn's & Colitis Foundation)