Honorees
Take Steps Honorees understand first-hand how difficult — and empowering — it can be to live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Honored Heroes share their stories to let other patients know they are not alone on their journeys — because no one should face the challenges and uncertainty of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in isolation. Through their stories, Honorees raise awareness of these diseases, raise funds in support of the Foundation’s mission, and inspire hope in those living with IBD.
Corporate Honoree
Morphic Therapeutic
Corporate Honoree, Morphic Therapeutics
Morphic Therapeutic is a small company in Waltham with a big mission – to develop new treatments for critical diseases, including IBD. This will be Morphic Therapeutic’s second year participating in Greater Boston Take Steps. As the 2023 Corporate Honoree, Morphic Therapeutic has set a bold goal of raising over $35,000. Check out their progress here.
What does being involved with the Foundation mean to your company?
“Morphic is truly proud to be an honoree as we aspire to improve treatments for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is the leading advocate for patients with IBD and this recognition is extremely meaningful to Morphic as community partnership is fundamental to the innovation required for new drug development. We are here because there are patients and families who need help. Whether that means trying to develop a cure for a disease, designing a treatment to help relieve symptoms, raising money to ensure no patient goes without access to care, or just simply helping to create, promote, and build relationships within a community- we are here to help; in whatever capacity we can.”
Adult Honored Hero
Matt Cohen
Matt Cohen, a native of Andover, MA, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when he was 10 years old. Matt has undergone multiple trial and errors with medications, flare ups, and eventually needing surgery. Matt and his family were able to rely on the Foundation for information and resources as they navigated Matt's diagnosis and treatment options that eventually led him to reach remission.
Matt is leading team Matt's Machine in Take Steps for the 25th year because he wants to help others answer the questions he had when diagnosed, find better treatments faster, and improve their quality of life of patients.
Pediatric Honored Hero
Nathan Korzenik
Nathan Korzenik, a 14 year old from Newton, MA, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when he was only 3 years old. Nathan's family has a generational connection to ulcerative colitis, as his mother, aunt and grandmother have all been diagnosed at different points in their lives. In addition, Nathan's father, Dr. Joshua Korzenik, is a gastroenterologist at the Crohn's and Colitis center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and his mother, Rachel Fruchter, is a nurse who worked at the New England Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation as the Nurse Educator during a time when pediatrics had become a primary focus.
Throughout Nathan's IBD journey he has felt empowered by sharing his story with others to bring much needed awareness to these diseases. Nathan feels that by sharing our personal stories we connect in a way that provides comfort and support and he is excited to participate in Greater Boston Take Steps as the 2023 Pediatric Honored Hero!
Healthcare Honored Hero
Alison Krustapentus, FNP-BC, BIDMC
Alison Krustapentus, FNP-BC (Family Nurse Practitioner) has worked for almost 7 years in gastroenterology and has focused her past 2+ specifically on IBD. Ali is continually inspired by patients’ stories and the dedication her team has for the IBD community. Ali loves partnering closely with patients on their journey to, and maintaining, deep remission. Ali learned about the Foundation when she joined the Take Steps team BIDMC Deep Remissions in 2021 and has been involved ever since.
How have the Foundation and programs such as Take Steps helped you and your patients?
"The Foundation events, including Take steps, are a fantastic way to bring the IBD community together celebrating the bravery and triumphs in a patient’s IBD journey. The Foundation has been an incredible resource for our patients both newly diagnosed and those with longstanding disease. Take Steps is a great way to engage the IBD Community by helping to fund research and generating awareness of this disease, as well as to support finding a cure."
To nominate a Take Steps Honoree, please click here or contact your local walk staff.
