FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) - They took to the gridiron for bragging rights, and a worthy cause.
More than $100,000 has been raised by teams fighting Crohn's Disease and Colitis.
Their efforts paid off Sunday in a flag football tournament at Gillette Stadium.
"I was diagnosed with Crohn's almost five years ago and I've been through a lot,” Siobhan Birch said.
But on this day, those who suffer from Crohn's and Colitis have others on their mind.
"I don't want anybody else to go through what I've experienced,” Birch said.
Thousands of others have suffered through diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines.
"Our mission is twofold. We're trying to find a cure for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis and improve quality of life in patients and families living with this disease,” Kim Snapper, director of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of New England, said.
One of the biggest fundraisers to help in that mission is the chance to play flag football, where the patriots play.
Every team raised a minimum of $3,500 to be on the field.
"Today is just a day to have fun. Play football at Gillette Stadium, and raise money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation,” Snapper said.
Organizers say they'll keep holding events like these until a cure is found.
You can still donate to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation by heading to ccfa.org
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