The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation will hold its annual gala next month in the hope of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for research and treatment of people battling Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The 34th annual Torch Gala will be held on Feb. 8 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead. The event will include a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner, and live auction followed by live music and dancing. Tickets range from $500 for individual seating to $7,500 for corporate tables.
The gala brings the healthcare and patient communities together, said Kimberly Brammer, a regional executive director of the foundation.
“It’s a wonderful social event of the year, and it’s for a great cause,” said Brammer.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation estimates that 1 in 100 Americans have inflammatory bowel disease, known as IBD, and an estimated 100,000 Georgians are living with the disease.
Inflammatory bowel disease is the collective term for ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease that causes sores and ulcers in the large intestine, and Crohn’s disease, which causes chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is seeking to raise $800,000.
The funds help with research for pinpointing medicines and nutrition plans that can be tailored to different patients, said Brammer.
“Every person with IBD is different,” she added. “Some respond to oral medications. Some require infusion therapy, while others have a need for multiple surgeries.
“We’ve been working on a diagnostic tool that would help identify someone’s severity of the disease. That would help their provider know how to treat it from the start.”
During the gala, the foundation will honor Michael Rosenberg and Leo Falkenstein. The co-founders of Consume Media have produced video segments of previous gala events for the foundation.
Amy Douglass will be honored as Volunteer of the Year. In 2021, she and friends formed the Betty League Softball Tournament, which raised $100,000 for the foundation, a statement said.
Dr. Cary G. Sauer will also be honored as the Premier Pediatric Healthcare Professional of the Year for his dedication to medical care for children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
