FAIRHOPE, Alabama—The inaugural “Take Steps Gulf Coast” walk to benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of American will take place this Sunday at Fairhope’s Municipal Pier and Bay Front Park.

Although these diseases of the gastrointestinal tract have received less attention than other health problems, more than 22,000 Alabamians are affected by Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, said Justin Shugart, the group’s community development manager for the Alabama and Northwest Florida region.

“This first walk along the Alabama Gulf Coast is a celebration of all our accomplishments for bringing awareness to the problem and the need for research,” Shugart said. “Fairhope is a beautiful area to have a walk by the bay, and we felt like it was a perfect family-friendly setting for our first event in the area.”

He said the mission of CCFA and the IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) community along the Gulf Coast is to find a cure, while also providing education and awareness opportunities for improving the lives of children and adults affected by the diseases.

The money raised by the event will fund research into the diseases, he said, and will also provide funding for patient education and support programs, with 83 cents of every dollar raised going into patient and research programs.

Local sponsors of the event include Ashurst & Niemeyer, Infirmary Health, Thompson Engineering, Chris Myers, Patrick Reilly M.D. – Gastroentereology Associates Baptist Division, Pensacola, and Northrup Grumman.

“We had 112 people registered for the event,” Shugart said Friday. “We’re anticipating around 150 to 175 people will take part in the walk.”

Registration tables open at 3:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Fairhope Municipal Pier and Bay Front Park, with the walk starting at 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.cctakesteps.org or contact Shugart at 646-387-2149.