Yorktown Girl Raises Awareness, Money for Cure of 'Overlooked' Disease

Amira Eissa has been dealing with Crohn's disease for the last five years ever since she was diagnosed with it at age 7. Despite the obstacles at first, the tough Yorktown girl has been raising awareness and money for the disease. 

"There is no known cure for Crohn's or Colitis and that is why we are raising money at these walks," said 12-year-old Amira, who walked at the Take Steps - Westchester on Sunday, May 20 at  in Yorktown. 

Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis is Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)'s largest fundraising event for which participants raise money and awareness throughout the year and come together to celebrate the steps that have been taken towards a cure.

When Amira got her first symptoms, she started bleeding, had severe stomach pains, fever and was really tired.

"We knew something was wrong but we didn't know what," she said. 

Her mother Nicole brought her to a hospital, where she stayed for seven days and had to take medications. After doctors performed a number of tests, she was diagnosed with the disease. 

"The disease was quite an obstacle at first because I missed so much school and it was very overwhelming for me," Amira said. "I had to take medicine at home and my mom researched the disease. We made a diet for me so my stomach wouldn't hurt. I can't have anything fried, spicy, or processed. I had to stop playing soccer because all the running hurts my stomach."

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But despite the challenges, the disease can't stop Amira, who has been doing gymnastics for the last three years. Amira will also attend Camp Oasis for the sixth summer in a row this year where she gets to participate in a number of activities.

"I love it there because there are doctors, fantastic games, and everyone there including the counselors have either Crohn's or Colitis," Amira said. "While I was there I was educated more about the disease and the fact there is no cure for it...yet!"

Crohn's is an immune system disease that attacks the stomach resulting in ulcers and strictures developing. Currently, Amira is taking a aggressive medicine that is being given by infusion in the hospital every five weeks, in order to avoid surgery, her mother Nicole said. All other medication that she took did not help.

Because of the tremendous pain a patient is in, Crohn's kids don't eat normally and hence the nutrition intake is zero. That's why the young girl has not being growing for the past three years and needs to take growth hormones, her mother said.

"This disease is very much overlooked," Nicole Eissa said. "A lot of people actually aren't even aware they have Crohn's or Colitis. I guess it's not very comfortable to talk about one's stomach pains and diarrhea."

A couple of years ago, Amira said she wrote a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to put "more thought into fundraising for this overlooked disease that affects people" all around the country, she said. And he answered her letter.

"More people need to learn about this disease, donate for this disease, and educate others about this disease," Amira said. "I really want to find a cure for this disease not only for me, but for anyone affected by the disease and any family affected by the disease."

For this year's Take Steps walk, the Yorktown girl raised $310 and she hopes she could raise even more – $1,000 – next year for her Team Amira.

To find out more information about the disease and/or donate to Team Amira, click here and here.

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