Gideon: Stamp enthusiast and IBD advocate
Gideon Sofer takes nothing for granted. At the age of 12 and reduced to just forty-five pounds by illness, Gideon was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Facing life with a chronic, debilitating illness at such a young age, Gideon was surprisingly more concerned with his doctors’ lack of knowledge about Crohn’s than with his own condition. This curiosity and motivation to improve Crohn’s awareness has led Gideon to a life of tireless advocacy.
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Around the time he was diagnosed with Crohn’s, Gideon started collecting stamps. What was initially just a hobby became a vehicle for activism when Gideon realized the power stamps have to spread awareness. Taking note of the breast cancer and HIV/AIDS stamps featured at the time, Gideon dedicated himself to getting an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) stamp approved.
Several years later, Gideon’s health took a turn for the worse. After an extended hospital stay and multiple surgeries, his life was at stake. Approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, Gideon first thought of asking to meet Bruce Springsteen or Michael J. Fox, before deciding to use the opportunity to further his cause. Gideon asked to meet the Postmaster General to discuss an IBD stamp. His wish was granted.
Gideon traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with Postmaster General John Potter for more than an hour. The postmaster spoke candidly with Gideon, confiding that his brother suffers from a digestive disease similar to Crohn’s. He was so impressed with Gideon that he brought him to the World Philatelic Exhibition, the premiere event for stamp collectors, and mentioned Gideon’s efforts in his speech.
The positive effects of Gideon’s trip to Washington resonate – he has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered. A benefit concert was held at the University of California, Berkeley, where Gideon now attends college, to help raise funds for his cause.
Committed to living each day as if it were his last, Gideon continues to make progress in his efforts to produce an IBD stamp. Though the process is long and uncertain, Gideon shows no signs of giving up. He doesn’t know how to.
