Agents Who Give Back: Brian Fagen for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation

Brian Fagen , Douglas Elliman agent in the Syosset, New York office, sees his role as a real estate agent as a unique opportunity to learn about his clients beyond what they’re looking for in a house. During car rides to showings, or meetings at his clients’ homes, Brian says there’s lots of time to talk and get to know one another. “As a real estate agent I have the unique opportunity to get to know my clients and find out what’s important to them. And they also get to know me and find out what’s important to me,” Fagen says. One of the things Brian shares is important to him is his support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation . This year he was the Chairman of the Long Island Chapter’s annual gala for a cure, which took place on September 27 and raised an impressive $400,000. Elliman Insider caught up with Brian about his involvement and why this particular cause means so much to him. Elliman Insider: Why is the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation important to you? BRIAN FAGEN: I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was in elementary school. In high school I was in and out of school getting treatments. At 16 years old I underwent a successful surgery for a j-pouch which left me healthy for 25 years. As someone who lives with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) I felt it was important to support the search for a cure, especially given the hereditary nature of the disease. I hope a future generation sees a cure. EI: How did you first get involved with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation? BF: About 7 years ago I decided I wanted to give back in support of the disease I battle. I would raise money for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation by challenging myself physically to run half marathons and compete in triathlons. The challenging physical aspects of these events motivated me to continue fighting for a cure for inflammatory bowel disease. Three years ago, I was hospitalized and underwent multiple surgeries which left me unable to compete to raise money, so I started fundraising. My wife and I planned our own fundraiser which raised $80,000. I also became certified to be a support group facilitator. I now run a group for men dealing with IBD. And, I was also asked this year to be the Chair of the annual gala for a cure. This year’s gala featured Emmy Award-winning mentalist and illusionist Oz Pearlman, and raised $400,000.   EI:  What does the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation do? BF:  The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has a dual mission: education and research. Through support groups, forums, webinars, conferences and more, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation offers educational opportunities for people living with IBD and those whose lives the disease touches (family members, caretakers). In addition, the foundation funds $30 million in groundbreaking research each year. As the world’s largest funder after the U.S. government, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is behind every major medical advance for the disease since it was founded in 1967. EI:  How can others get involved with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation? BF:  The Long Island chapter is always looking for volunteers at events such as the upcoming gala. We host many fundraising events throughout the year to get people out, to have fun and to support a good cause. There are support groups for adults and kids living with IBD, as well as groups for parents. The foundation’s annual education day is coming up on November 10. There are breakout sessions, doctors speaking, overall it’s a great forum to ask questions and get answers to questions you might not even know you had. There are many opportunities to donate time or money to the foundation. For anyone interested, I’d say the best place to start would be the “Get Involved” tab on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s website . —by Jacqueline Kuron Connect with a Douglas Elliman agent today to start your home search.