Suncor retiree Earle McVicar has a mission: to find a cure for a disease that’s literally a pain in the gut. Retired in 1998 as Corporate Director of Environment, Health & Safety in the Calgary office, Earle and his wife Jeanine first became involved with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC, www.ccfc.ca) in 2001. That’s when their son Tyler, then 28, was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis are two similar yet distinct conditions often described under the umbrella of IBD/inflammatory bowel disease. IBD affects the digestive system and causes the intestinal tissue to become inflamed, form sores and bleed easily. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue and diarrhea. An estimated 170,000 Canadian men and women suffer from IBD, for which there is no known cause or cure.

“The mission of the CCFC is to provide funding for research to find the causes and cures for these debilitating illnesses,” explains Earle. “In their more severe forms, the diseases can be devastating, both physically and emotionally, especially for a young person.”

Tyler is 6′1″, and weighed 185 pounds before the disease caused his weight to plummet to 120 pounds. “He’s stable now, and back up to about 170 pounds, but he feels unwell most days and has been unable to work since he was diagnosed,” says Earle. “He’s been in several trials of new emerging drugs but they haven’t helped much, which is why a cure is so important to us.”

Since its creation in 1974, the CCFC nationally has invested close to $40 million in major medical research projects to identify causes and treatments for severe intestinal diseases, including establishing intestinal research units at the University of Calgary and McMaster University. “Encouraging progress is being made, but much remains to be done,” says Earle.

Volunteering benefits everyone

Like many volunteers, Earle and Jeanine started out slowly, working on a committee that organizes an annual fund-raising golf tournament. In mid-2004, Earle accepted an invitation to become president of the CCFC’s Calgary chapter, which generally meets monthly to plan and coordinate a half dozen fundraising and education events in the city each year. He’s served as chapter president since then, and Jeanine continues to play a leading role on the golf tournament organizing committee.

“Earle and his family are very valuable volunteers and contribute so much,” says Carolle Anderson, Regional Director of the chapter. “Their volunteer service truly does make a difference.”

Earle was aware of the Suncor Energy Foundation (SEF) Community Service Grant program, and is pleased to have been able to channel a total of $8,000 in grants over the past four years directly to funding research aimed at finding a cure.

“This is just one example of the outstanding corporate citizenship that Suncor demonstrates every day,” he says. “It gives the SEF an opportunity to further its goal of supporting the work that Suncor employees and retirees do with worthy charitable organizations, and at the same time the charities receive much-needed contributions.”

He continues, “Charities like the CCFC are totally dependent on donors to fund our causes. Without donors like the SEF, there would be no CCFC, and presumably the cirtically important research would not happen. We are very, very appreciative of and impressed with the work of the SEF!”

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Jeanine and Earle McVicar volunteer in many ways with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada, including this fundraising Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon. If you’d like to volunteer with CCFC in Calgary or another chapter, contact Earle at 403-286-8618 or visit www.ccfc.ca.

In 2005, the Suncor Energy Foundation gave out 166 Community Service Grants totalling $277,000. For more information or to apply online, visit www.suncor.com>Social Responsibility>Suncor Energy Foundation>Employee Programs>Community Service Grants. The deadline each year is September 30.