Crypto for Crohn’s & Colitis Cures
My newest venture with the Foundation aligns my passion for cutting-edge entrepreneurship and technology with my belief in the Foundation’s mission. I am championing a campaign called Crypto for Crohn’s & Colitis Cures, a platform for the cryptocurrency world to put their bitcoin to the best use possible - donating it to an organization that will improve the lives of the millions of patients who live with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis including myself.
For over 50 years, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has worked to find new treatments and cures and improve the quality of life for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two lifelong often debilitating diseases for which there is no cure, by funding important research, education, support, and advocacy programs. This cause is very important to me and my family, and now that I have my own child, I more committed than ever.
I am leading the campaign by donating $100,000 in Bitcoin. Will you donate to help patients like me?
My Story with Crohn's Disease
At 19 years old, after experiencing abdominal pain, urgency, diarrhea, and debilitating fatigue, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Unlike some, my journey from symptoms to diagnosis was not long. I walked myself to the emergency room and was diagnosed on the spot. I was lucky in that respect.
Being diagnosed with Crohn’s changed my life perspective. While I felt a calling to business and entrepreneurship as a teen, I did not have a calling to higher education. I reluctantly enrolled in college, which added a significant amount of stress at a time when I needed to manage the stressors in my life. While I focused on my disease, I put less effort into school with a direct effect on my grades.
I did go on to graduate with a degree from Boston University in 2009 and immediately jumped into a life of entrepreneurship. In partnership with my brother Gary, we launched VaynerMedia, along with several other businesses. VaynerMedia grew rapidly over seven years, going from a few employees to over 700 people. Growing a business from the ground up can be stressful for anyone; even harder when living with Crohn’s disease.
Few people knew about my diagnosis until I needed surgery. It was then that I needed to share my story more broadly. In 2016, I decided to step away from VaynerMedia to address my health. I know a lot of IBD patients keep their diagnosis to themselves or a small network of close friends and family – I did not want to do that. I wrote an article for The Medium that has been viewed 36,000 times. It was cathartic to share my journey with more people. The more who knew, the better I felt.
My advice to others is to take some time to process and get perspective. Don’t feel you have to be private. If I could do it over, I’d be more open from the beginning. Articulate your experience and let people know what you’re going through. It will help others like you.
My desire to raise awareness about IBD led me to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, an impactful organization that is dedicated to finding cures and improving the quality of life for all patients living with these diseases. I am now serving as a board member for their Greater New York Chapter. I am also working as a strategic advisor for the Foundation’s entrepreneurial investing initiative, IBD Ventures, which funds innovative research designed to accelerate the development of new treatments and products with potential to impact patients’ quality of life and, ultimately, lead to cures.