Hi, I’m Joe Cannon and I have ulcerative colitis and I’ve had it since I was 15 years old. I had to have a blood transfusion when I was 18 years old due to my hematocrit being eight, weighing 112 pounds, and not sure if I was going to make it. Years later, when I was 22, I had to have a permanent ileostomy due to the disease, causing me to go to the bathroom 20 to 25 times per day, which was no way to live a normal life. The ileostomy has saved me in many ways, but I’ve had complications ever since, such as adhesions, partial obstructions, abdominal pains, etc. I’ve taken all of the pills; none of them have worked. Now we are going Tuesday, August 12, to East Jefferson for a stomach procedure that will hopefully alleviate the symptoms that I’ve been struggling with over the last several years. The doctor says that I should receive 50 to 75% improvement after the surgery, but time will tell. My medical bills have increased with all of the doctors that I have seen and all the tests that they have run, and they have all added up. I was also fired from my job today in healthcare due to me not being able to work due to my stomach issues and being rear-ended recently. I simply cannot pay the bills anymore, so that is why I’m reaching out to you to see if there is any way that you could donate a lot or a little, whichever you can, as I know times are tight. But I just thought that this would be something that I could ask of you, and in the kindness of your heart, do something for me when you know that I would do something for you. To say thank you for what you do would be an understatement, and there are no words that I could ever find to say thank you for what you would do for me. But thank you, thank each of you individually for all of your thoughts, your prayers, your donations, and for being my friend. I love you all very much. God bless you all.