The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America and Shire Launch Virtual 'IBD March on the Hill' to Increase Funding for Digestive Diseas...( Virtual March Connects 'IBD Day on th...)

Virtual March Connects 'IBD Day on the Hill' Advocates in Washington, D.C. with Online Supporters

PHILADELPHIA, May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY) joined forces to launch the first-ever virtual "Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) March on the Hill." The free program calls on Facebook(R) users to help raise awareness of IBD and spurs funds for additional research of the disease.

To participate in the virtual "IBD March on the Hill," Facebook users can visit www.ibdmarchonthehill.com and, with the click of a mouse, take a virtual "step" around the National Mall in Washington, DC. Users will be asked to choose a unique shoe to place on the track and will see how their step has impacted the total number of steps taken to date. Shire will donate $1 per footstep to CCFA for research, education and support initiatives for each of the first 30,000 steps taken.

In addition to raising funds for IBD research, the virtual march gives those affected by IBD the opportunity to support the more than 75 patient advocates who are in Washington, DC today for CCFA's seventh National Advocacy Conference "IBD Day on the Hill." The advocates will meet with legislators to gain support for the IBD Research and Awareness Act.

"We are thrilled to extend our advocacy on the Hill to the online community," said Gary Sinderbrand, the chairman of CCFA's National Board of Trustees. "We have made it a point to provide a specific resource for the IBD patient community on Facebook through our new CCFA Facebook Page (http://apps.facebook.com
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