I am a pediatric colorectal surgeon and I have the privilege to work with patients born with pediatric colorectal conditions such as: anorectal malformation (imperforate anus, cloaca, cloacal exstrophy), Hirschsprung disease, spina bifida, and patients suffering from constipation and fecal incontinence. Some of my patients, I meet soon after birth, and others, later in life. I do believe that my work will have no effect if mental health is not addressed properly throughout the life of my patients and their families. 

This year, we created a new team called "Happy Saddle" and all money raised will go towards mental health support for the Center of Children's Surgery. 

This will be my forth time riding the courage classic and it will again be a personal challenge to ride a bike uphill in the mountains, but I will be thinking of all of what my patients go through, and I believe I will have some of their strength to help me in the ride. This year will be specially challenging, as I have not being able to train much . 

Here are links of what I wrote after each courage classic ride:

2019: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/courage-classic-2019-andrea-bischoff 

2020: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/courage-classic-2020-andrea-bischoff

2021: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/courage-classic-2021-andrea-bischoff

Thank you for supporting Children's Hospital Colorado and the mental health of our patients,

Andrea Bischoff