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Connections
Why join us for CONNECTIONS?
You have just heard the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and received information from your doctor about treatments, but you still have so many questions. How do I explain this to family members, what is the best way to communicate with my child’s school, how can I support my child, how will this affect the family, and so much more. Where do you look for answers?
C to C provides peer-to-peer connections and support to families who often feel misunderstood as they are making tough decisions about medical treatments, navigating school and social issues, and dealing with the psychological impact of these diseases. Many people do not understand how serious Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis can be. We bring attention to these diseases in order to drive funding for research and to let people know they have somewhere to turn for support.
When you contact us, we will connect you with a member of our community who is familiar with the issues you are coping with.
We also connect with patients and families all over the country through our social media. Anyone can contact one of our volunteers directly at our email, connections@connectingtocure.org, or find us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
"My son was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an incurable, lifelong chronic illness. This has inspired me to do whatever I can to help other patients and families navigate Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis has been my rock for over 6 years. Our journey has been supported with incredible advice and love."
Bette F.
Click here to read more testimonials.
CONNECTIONS Support Group Facilitators
Edward Feldman, M.D.
Edward Feldman, M.D., is a board-certified gastroenterologist with the Cedars-Sinai Medical Group. He has a specific clinical interest in the inflammatory diseases of the bowel, which include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, with a focus on the psycho-social aspects of healing and disease.
Dr. Feldman earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his Internship at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles and his residency in internal medicine at Harbor General Hospital, in Torrance, California. He completed a research fellowship in gastroenterology at Hammersmith Hospital (Royal Postgraduate Medical School) in London, followed by clinical fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He finished his training in psychoanalysis at the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.
He is a clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Cedars-Sinai Health System. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of numerous organizations including the American Gastroenterology Association, The New Center for Psychoanalysis and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
In 1980, Dr. Feldman began a private practice in pediatric, adolescent and adult gastroenterology and became an active member of the Cedars-Sinai medical community. He has served as clinical chief of gastroenterology, co-director of the Cedars-Sinai Home Health Program, director and facilitator of the Intern Support Group for Pediatric Interns, and currently teaches in the post-residency program for inflammatory bowel diseases.
David Ziring, M.D.
David Ziring, MD, has dedicated his life to helping children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). He received his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School while earning his master's degree in clinical immunology. Dr. Ziring went on to receive residency training in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Orange County, then pursued subspecialty training in Pediatric Gastroenterology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine with Marvin Ament, MD, and associated faculty. At UCLA, Dr. Ziring concentrated his research efforts on the regulation of the immune system in IBD with research mentor, Jonathan Braun, MD. He has since migrated research interests from working in the laboratory with animal models to studies involving patients with IBD. This work resulted in the award of a Broad Medical Research Program grant to study the immunomodulatory effects of large doses of vitamin D in children with Crohn's disease. He is currently primary investigator for a clinical trial to study the role of stem cell transplantation in adolescents and young adults with medically refractory Crohn’s disease.
Besides his research and direct patient care, Dr. Ziring works closely with the IBD community. He has served as medical director of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's national Team Challenge half marathons, with events in Napa, San Antonio, New Orleans, Miami and Hawaii that have raised more than $90 million. He has been a volunteer physician with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s summer program Camp Oasis, caring for more than 120 children with IBD each summer. Dr. Ziring serves as a primary investigator and a representative of Cedars-Sinai for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s national pediatric research network PROKIIDS and is a member of the IBD Committee for the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. He is the editor of the book “Your Child with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Family Guide for Caregiving.” He has advocated for earlier FDA labeling for drugs approved to treat adults with inflammatory bowel disease, serving on several national committees. Dr. Ziring has been invited to speak at regional academic centers on topics from skeletal health in children with IBD, the importance of treating to mucosal healing, and the transition of care of teens with IBD.