David Garrard

[butt-eze]

NFL Quarterback David Garrard In the Zone for Crohn's: Scoring Touchdowns for CCFA This Fall

After being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2004, Garrard took control and led his team to two consecutive playoff appearances. He's now working to help others by raising money for disease-specific research, education, and support while pursuing his dreams of a career as a quarterback for a professional football team. As part of the "In the Zone for Crohn's" campaign Centocor, Inc. will donate $10,000 to CCFA, each time Garrard completes a touchdown pass and each time he scores a touchdown in the 2008 season. Watch Garrard speak about the program, track his performance this NFL season, and hear him talk about football, Crohn's, and the "In the Zone" program on ESPN Football Today.

This is awesome!!! Let's keep track together

 

[Wiles]

That is awesome! I hope he scores many touchdowns!

 

[mommy1st]

I think that he has 4 so far, so 40,000 isn't bad. Eleven games left.

 

[drew_wymore]

I really admire David but the one thing I've noticed is that in most of his interviews where Crohn's is mentioned he doesn't really go in depth and mentions surgery as if its the magical cure and that it can't come back etc.

That being said, I think its absolutely awesome what he and Centecor are doing, I really hope he just blows up the game this year and raises tons of money for research.

 

[butt-eze]

Hey Drew

That bothered me too during his interview last season. He essentially made it sound like he was cured.

It seems like Mike McCready is the most straightforward about the truth.

 

[BWS1982]

I'd have to see his interview in question to make up my own opinion, but this is great, and the exposure is as good as the cash.

 

[ErinDF]

I picked him for my fantasy team this season just because he has Crohn's! In terms of his interviewing, it may just be that he either (a) really wants to think of it that way or (b) he doesn't want NFL teams/the general public to be constantly worrying about it. I'm sure he knows that it could come back...or else he should really sue his doctor for malpractice.

 

[saidinstouch]

He has been lucky to stay in remission from remicade thus far from the sound of it. For someone who hasn't had to really experience what this disease can do out of remission for that long he probably thinks he was cured with the surgery. If I remember correctly he basically got sick and required the surgery within a very short time of his diagnosis so it is possible that he just doesn't know a ton about the disease.

The really cool part of the story is that when he was hospitalized and had his surgery his teammates helped his wife out a lot and made sure she was ok and did a lot to make the situation better for both of them.

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Did I miss something? WHAT team does he play for??

 

[BWS1982]

Jaguars.

 

[Han Shan]

The Jaguars play in Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville is practically in Georgia, however. As one who resides just down the road from Jacksonville, a.k.a. the River City, and follows football closely, I can say that Garrard is a first rate individual and well liked in this community. He actually put so much weight on after his surgery that his coaches asked him to shed about 10 pounds to get down to a slim 240.

 

[BWS1982]

lucky man, I want my weight back. :ymad:

 

[mommy1st]

Everyone is commenting on the interview that he did about surgery being the cure. Unfortunately alot of people, yes even Crohns patients believe that surgery is a cure and they don't fully understand what Crohns is about. I have met many people who were recently diagnosed and have had surgery who tell me that they are cured and that I should just have surgery, after I explain that there is no cure and I have had surgery three times they are surprised. I am also surprised to hear that so many people are taken completely off meds after surgery, maybe he is just really misinformed. I still think that it is great what he is doing and hopefully more people will try to find out what this disease really is.

 

[BWS1982]

I almost find it to be partly a doctor's or surgeon's fault, if you are performing surgery and/or treating, it is also your responsibility to make sure the patient is aware of the disease and the potentials involved, and WHY the surgery is being done. The cure issue should be brought up at least once when they are cutting someone open.

 

[mommy1st]

From what I have understood, Colitis can be cured, Crohns cannot.

That is correct, but alot of people are in the grey area where they can't determine if it is Crohns or Colitis, so if they remove the colon and it turns out to be Crohns the disease will just come back higher. My husbands cousin had colitis, he had his colon removed and is doing great. I wish surgery was a cure for Crohns then I would have been cured when I was 16.

 

[BWS1982]

If I'm not mistaken, I think there's a distinct difference from "colitis" and Ulcerative Colitis. "Colitis" can come from a bacteria, bad reaction, or other cause, (colitis translates to "infection of the Colon" if defined by it's terminology), and go away with antibiotics if I understand. UC is not so simple. This is my understanding of it.

I've been told by 2 GI's that I cannot have both UC and CD, one precludes the other, like you can't have Diabetes type I and II (I think that is a correct anology).

 

[mommy1st]

Some people have what is called indeterminate colitis which they can not determine which one it is either Crohns or UC.

 

[Han Shan]

Just one last quick note on Garrard...if i recall correctly, he was not on any medications immediately following his surgery, but when a colonoscopy showed that the disease was becoming active again, he was put on Remicade and has been on it ever since. He also watches his diet very carefully after working with a nutritionist. My impression of him is that he certainly knows the score (to use a sports analogy) when it comes to CD.