The 2018 Gutsy Walk for Crohn's and colitis disease was held Sunday afternoon at a busy Riverside Park.

The annual walk is hosted in over 60 communities across Canada to raise money to fund research, better treatment, and find a cure for Crohn's and colitis, and over 60 people took part in the Swift walk yesterday.

The walk has been taking place nationwide since 1996 but has only been in Swift Current for threes years after being moved from Cabri where it was held for two.

Nathan Stang is the co-chair of the 2018 Gutsy Walk fundraiser and said that event really well.

"We had a really good turnout and the weather was beautiful," he said. "A lot of it is raising money, but a big part of it is bringing the community together and showing respect for the people who are dealing with these diseases in their lives."

Crohn’s and colitis are autoimmune diseases that cause the body to attack itself, leading to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. People with inflammatory bowel disease endure abdominal pain, cramping, gas, bloating, fatigue, frequent and urgent bowel movements, internal bleeding, and unintended weight loss.

After the final total had been added up the walk raised over $43,000. Stang said to be able to raise that much money is amazing.

"It's awesome and overwhelming," he said. "The community support is great. You can't say enough about Swift Current's community. The support we got was outstanding."

Over 250,000 Canadians have already been diagnosed, and someone new is diagnosed with Crohn’s or colitis every hour. There are no known cures for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

Stang said that the money will go a long way to help those suffering from the diseases.

"Seventy-five percent of it goes to research for finding cures and bettering medicines for Crohn's and colitis," he said. "They also fund scholarships for young people and there's a Crohn's and colitis camp that they fund that is set up for young people to attend."

Swift Current was one of five communities in Saskatchewan as Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Yorkton also held walks.