Life was straightforward for Sara Wilbur-Collins and her family from Cambridge, Ontario—until 2018. That’s when Crohn’s disease entered the family. One of her two daughters, Sam, was diagnosed at 17 years old.
The diagnosis was a surprise as there’s no family history. Also, as an all-star cheer athlete with the Cheer Sport Sharks, Sam had always been attentive to her health.
“It was hard for us to hear the news that there was no cure, and that she would be managing this her whole life. It was really tough to watch her deal with so much discomfort and apprehension.”
There were many challenges initially. It took quite a while to find the right mix of medications for Sam from 2018 to 2019. She also had to cope with finishing high school and maintaining her strength for her team, particularly her first trip to the Cheer World Championships in 2019. She managed but was hospitalized a week after the competition. The family had never gone through anything like this and was alarmed.
From shock to making a difference
Initially, Sara hoped Sam might not have to manage Crohn’s her whole life. Perhaps there would be a cure before too long. Sara then realized she needed to get involved for that hope to become reality.
Her first step was for her 50th birthday in 2020 during the pandemic. She asked people to donate $50 to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada as her birthday gift. The appeal was her way to fundraise.
Sara works for The Riverwood Conservancy, a conservation charity, and has spent her career in the not-for-profit sector. Donating and fundraising are part of who she is. It is her way to show up and contribute to needs beyond her own. It also makes her feel part of a larger community building a better future.
“Progress from donor-funded research has made it possible for Sam’s Crohn’s to be controlled. But it’s not cured. That’s the next challenge.”
The goal of a cure is why Sara and her husband reflected on which charities were meaningful to them when they made their wills.
“Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is definitely a charity on our list. It has been a great source of support and information, particularly when we were dealing with Sam’s initial diagnosis. We wanted to make sure other families have the same resources to draw from.”
“We intend to keep giving during our lifetimes, and by providing for a bequest we’ll be able to give a larger gift than we could now. We’ve shared that information with our daughters and of course they support it. I hope that, when it comes time for them to put together their wills, they will go through the same reflection process.”
Sara’s advice to others thinking about giving through a will is: “Giving by will doesn’t affect your current finances, and it can make a huge difference in the future. A lot of people don't want to talk about death or go through the process of creating a will—it can be a difficult topic. But it’s pretty important to make your wishes known. And wouldn’t it be great to be a part of curing Crohn’s and colitis?”
Interested in learning more about leaving a gift in your will to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada?
Download the Legacy Giving Guide
Or contact:
Erika Viray
Specialist, Stewardship and Legacy Giving
eviray...crohnsandcolitis...ca
647-464-3899