By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

Wade White was diagnosed in 2013 with Crohn’s Disease, a chronic illness where a person’s immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract.

White, son of Kim and Ben White of Wilsonville, is a ninth grader at Shelby County High School and plays alto saxophone in the band.

He has also been a frequent visitor to Children’s Hospital with this painful, debilitating disease.

In 1932 gastroenterologist Dr. Burrill Bernard Crohn first described a group of conditions known as Irritable Bowel Diseases (IBD).

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis have similar symptoms but affect different areas in the gastrointestinal tract.

Crohn’s primarily affects the small intestine while UC attacks the large intestine (colon).

IDB symptoms are persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgent need to move bowels, abdominal cramps, acute pain, sensation of incomplete evacuation and constipation. General symptoms are fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, skin rash and night sweats.

Patients can have acute flares followed by times of remission. But IDBs are life-long diseases with no cure.

White has a very aggressive type of Crohn’s and is at the disease’s top tier.

He has had major surgery to remove part of his diseased small intestine and is on Remicade infusions for treatment.

Because he has spent so much time at Children’s Hospital, he knows how important activities and games are needed to occupy kids’ minds.

“I got the idea to start a wagon drive to collect games and crafts to do while you sit in a hospital for so long,” said White. “Last Christmas I collected four wagon loads of toys and games. This year I got teams involved. My band, Team SAX, helped me as did the Girl Scouts in Columbiana. My mom’s friend had a bake sale to raise money. This year I collected six wagons full of games and toys.”

“Creating crafts offers children a way to express themselves while providing a fun distraction during their hospitalization,” said mother Kim. “We need crayons, markers, Play Doh and craft kits for all ages and genders.”

If interested in donating to Wade Wagon Drive, call Kim White at 205-527-4990 or see Wade’s Wagon Drive Facebook page.