Teen Again Raising Funds, Awareness for Crohn's and Colitis

Madison Vlcek says it takes her a "little more strength" for her to do what other kids do regularly, but in hearing her and her parents look back at her young life, one could say strength was never in short supply.

The 13-year-old eighth-grader at was diagnosed with colitis in 2004, when she was nearly 6-years-old. Her parents detected something was amiss when she was 4 and had been searching for answers. The condition has left its mark, leading to surgeries to remove Madison's colon, leaving her generally lighter than many kids her age.

"I looked at it more as something I was going to have to overcome, and I know some things would take a little more effort, but I wanted a regular childhood," she said. "It does bug me when (some people) think of me differently. But I play it off as ... it doesn't affect me day-to-day."

Her experience has turned her into a fundraising machine and young ambassador for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. She's back stronger in 2012, planning to once again participate in the CCFA “Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis Walk” on June 23 in Santa Monica.

She's also started a website for anyone interested in donating, and CCFA has named her one of their 2012 Honored Heroes.

But while she will gladly accept donations, she doesn't want anyone's pity or underestimation of her abilities.

"People think I can't do stuff they can do," said Madison, who was coming from her piano lesson when she talked to Patch. "I've had people tell me, when I try to participate in PE, 'Are you sure you wanna do this?' Then I really try to prove them wrong," she said.

She wants to become a criminal lawyer when she grows up, she said. This would come after trying out to become one of Sierra Madre's Rose Float Princesses, participating in the Painted Turtle camp for kids dealing with serious illnesses (she wants to eventually become a counselor when she's old enough), and of course, arranging bake sales, barbecues and golf tournaments to raise more funds.

All of this forward-thinking doesn't come as a big surprise to Madison's mom, Nichole, since it's always been part of her personality.

"She's always been interested in helping other people," she said. "But you wonder when someone goes through something like (she did), and what kind of person it makes them. It's made her even more compassionate."