Man struggles with Crohn's Disease

Jeff Minke, a 2006 Sisters High School graduate, is creating a new normal for his life.

He lives with Crohn's Disease, an incurable inflammatory disease affecting the intestines and colon. Since being diagnosed in 2002, Jeff has had multiple surgeries resulting in the loss of portions of his intestines.

Undaunted, he set off for university last fall, majoring in business at Linfield College in McMinnville. In February, however, Jeff ended up in the hospital yet again and finally had to give in to the disease for the next several months.

His mother, Jennifer, said that trying to manage a disease such as Crohn's while living in a dorm became too difficult. Dorm food is notorious for testing strong digestive systems; one that has been ravaged by Crohn's and is gluten-intolerant didn't have much of a chance.

Even while recovering at home, Jeff maintains a sense of normalcy. He plays tennis, enjoys video games with his friends, and plays his guitar. He works at Black Butte Ranch and is determined to head back to school this coming fall.

Jeff is blessed with a supportive circle of friends and family who formed the Jeff Minke Crohn's Disease Trust. The group posted a blog at http://www.supportjeffminke.blogspot.com that offers information about the disease. The trust also put several donation jars around Sisters and opened an account at US Bank.

Battling disease is a strain in many areas, and the Trust is seeking to ease some of the financial burden. Donation jars may be found at Espresso Junction, Sisters Coffee Company, Sunbuster Video, Sisters Video, Soba and Bright Spot Juice & Java.