AbbVie Launches Crohn's & Colitis Scholarship to Support Students Living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Dec. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a global biopharmaceutical company, announced the launch of the AbbVie Crohn's & Colitis Scholarship, designed to provide financial support for exceptional students living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as they pursue higher education goals. Fifteen scholars will be selected to receive $15,000 each for the 2016-2017 school year. The AbbVie Crohn's & Colitis Scholarship is currently accepting applications.

"At AbbVie, we are focused on addressing the world's most difficult health challenges through a comprehensive and responsible approach," said Tracie Haas, vice president corporate responsibility, brand and communications, AbbVie. "Students living with inflammatory bowel disease face significant obstacles while they pursue higher education, and the AbbVie Crohn's & Colitis Scholarship aims to empower students to achieve their educational goals."

Approximately 1.6 million Americans live with IBD, which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).¹ These diseases cause inflammation and may damage the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss and fatigue.¹  When students with IBD experience symptoms, it can cause them to miss school and experience difficulty sitting for exams.²

About the AbbVie Crohn's & Colitis Scholarship
The scholarship is available to students living with IBD, including CD or UC, who are seeking a trade school diploma or an associate, undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. trade school, college or university. Recipients will be chosen based on academic excellence, community involvement, written response to an essay question and ability to serve as a positive role model for the IBD community. The application period will close on March 25, 2016, 10 a.m. (CT), and final notification to scholarship winners will be made by April 29, 2016.

It is not necessary for applicants to have taken, currently take or intend to take in the future any medicine or product marketed by AbbVie; this will not be a consideration in the recipient selection criteria. Employees of AbbVie and their immediate family members are not eligible. Healthcare providers and their immediate family members are not eligible. Patients contracted by AbbVie through Patient Health Perspectives ("SPEAK Network") are not eligible.

For access to the online application, additional information about the application process and full eligibility details, please visit www.CrohnsandColitisScholarship.com.   

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. Together with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pharmacyclics, AbbVie employs more than 28,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

References:

1. The facts about inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America website.  http://www.ccfa.org/assets/pdfs/updatedibdfactbook.pdf. Accessed October 8, 2015.
2. Marri SR, Buchman AL. The education and employment status of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2005; 11 (2): 171-177.

SOURCE AbbVie

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