POP ROCK BAND Honor Society Drummer Advocates for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients on Capitol Hill in Conjunction with World IBD Day

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, the leading nonprofit aimed at finding cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two chronic and painful digestive diseases collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases, today announced that Alexander Noyes, drummer for the American pop rock band Honor Society, will participate in its annual Day on the Hill event, May 19 through 20 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with World IBD Day. Honor Society recently concluded headlining their ‘Here Comes Trouble Tour’ which hit over 30 US cities.

New York, NY (Vocus) May 19, 2010

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, the leading nonprofit aimed at finding cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two chronic and painful digestive diseases collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases, today announced that Alexander Noyes, drummer for the American pop rock band Honor Society, will participate in its annual Day on the Hill event, May 19 through 20 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with World IBD Day. Honor Society recently concluded headlining their ‘Here Comes Trouble Tour’ which hit over 30 US cities.

Like hundreds of thousands of other young people across the country, Alexander lives with Crohn’s disease, and knows very well the impact it can have on everyday life. In addition to colitis, Crohn’s most often strikes young adults in the prime of their lives. The diseases—which often bring on pain, fatigue, weight loss, absences from school, frequent visits to the doctor, medication side effects, and surgery—can make life isolating and overwhelming for young adults.

“So many young people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis don’t feel comfortable talking about their symptoms,” says Noyes. “I want to change that so I am participating in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s annual advocacy event, Day on the Hill, to bring awareness to these poorly understood diseases so Crohn’s and colitis become illnesses we can openly talk about—like cancer or diabetes, and hopefully find a cure one day.” Alexander seeks to spread a positive message to young adults who face the same challenges he does.

Alexander’s involvement in Day on the Hill will enable the Foundation to come even closer to accomplishing its mission of increasing awareness about Crohn's and colitis, funding research for better therapies and a cure, and providing education and support to those living with these diseases, especially the young adult population. Alexander will speak to advocates from across the country at a dinner event and meet with local legislators and encourage them to pass the IBD Research and Awareness Act, which currently has 100 co-sponsors in the House and Senate. This important piece of legislation will help the 1.4 million Americans with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Advocates can contact their legislators through http://www.ccfa.org/advocacy and encourage them to support this bill.

Honor Society’s debut album, Fashionably Late, was released in September 2009 and hit the Billboard charts at #18 in its first week. Since the spring of 2009, Honor Society has been named a breakout band to watch by Rolling Stone, identified as a Buzzworthy band by MTV and earned an opening spot on one of the biggest tours of the summer as they joined the Jonas Brothers and Jordin Sparks on the North American leg of the Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009. In addition, Honor Society recently expanded its fan base by performing with Grammy winning producer and singer, Timbaland as part of his 'Shock Value 2 Tour'.

Like Alexander, musician Mike McCready, lead guitarist for the band Pearl Jam, lives with Crohn’s disease. Diagnosed over 20 years ago, McCready believes in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s efforts to raise much-needed awareness of and funds for Crohn’s and colitis patients. “There have been countless times over the years that I have suffered the sudden and crippling effects of a Crohn’s attack while on the road,” says McCready. “It’s so important for people to recognize the physical and emotional ups-and-downs that Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis patients go through on a daily basis.”

About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.

About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 79 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and the American Institute of Philanthropy. For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit the CCFA web site.

About World IBD Day
An international community of IBD patient groups will join thousands of gastroenterologists from around the world to in celebrating the first "World IBD Day" -- dedicated to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis awareness – on May 19, 2010. This event is led by patient organizations representing 27 countries on four continents. Patient groups from the United States, Canada, Australia, 23 European nations, and Brazil are working in collaboration with the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) to draw awareness to inflammatory bowel diseases. Visit http://www.worldibdday.com or follow @worldibdday on Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ariella Levine
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
646-943-7430

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