Rasheed kindly requests your money

No, this isn't a Nigerian prince scam. I genuinely would like some money from you.

And it's not because I need it to pay bills or buy groceries. I've been fortunate enough to eventually make it out of the tumultuous two years that followed my first surgery, and now I have an apartment and a job that I walk to and from every day.

But I know there are lots of people with inflammatory bowel disease who still struggle mightily just to make it to the end of the day. They still can't work or go to school or leave the house because they're in pain. They're constantly running to the bathroom. They're struggling to eat. They're sad and scared and furious and too fatigued to even express it.

What's more, my surgical treatment came with a new set of challenges that I still have to deal with, and it's not a forever fix. IBD is a serious, and growing, problem. CTV National News recently reported on IBD, and you might recognize one of the faces in the story.

I try not to get involved in too many personal fundraising campaigns because I know people get tired of being asked for donations, no matter how worthy the cause(s). And I know times is hard. Maybe you need the money you earn for things you need or just for things you deserve. So if you donate to my Gutsy Walk campaign, which raises funds for Crohn's and Colitis Canada so they can advance IBD research, I promise not to bug you for any more money... at least not until this time next year. Hey, that's not such a bad deal. You'll get a whole year off!

So now that you've read my spiel, I hope you'll contribute what you're comfortable with to my 2015 Gutsy Walk campaign. You can do so here. Or you can get in touch with me to make a donation if you don't want to do so online.

Thanks, all.