My Ostomy Journey My name is Cass Bargell, and I have many different identities that I’m proud of. I’m an analyst on the Data Science & Analytics team at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, a USA Rugby National Team player, and an IBD patient and ostomate. I’ve been a rugby pla...

  When Dewey Thom was a teenager in the 1970s, he started experiencing stomach pains, which led to a series of invasive tests over a period of many months. Finally, his gastroenterologist told him he had ulcerative colitis, which at that time was thought to mainly impact middle-aged patien...

One of the best ways to Make IBD Visible is to join the fight to find cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the lives of people living with IBD. As a volunteer-fueled organization, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation relies on the passion and dedication of our volunteers to a...

Hey! My name is Jordan Leftwich. I’m 17 years old and I’m a professional international model and actress. Although, one main thing that makes me different is that I have Crohn’s disease. I’ve probably been living with Crohn’s disease my entire life but I was only diagnosed around 2018, just four yea...

Army veteran and security subject matter expert Trei McMullen was finally diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when he was 26 years old, after struggling with symptoms since he was 18. Today, McMullen has joined the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Business Advisory Council and wants to help veterans...

Every June during Pride, I'm reminded of how fortunate that I am. I can live in a country where I'm free to be myself and share my life openly with my husband of 20 years. I know that we can thrive because our life consists of lots of love and support. Support from the many facets of our family; And...

More than 10 million people worldwide live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Living with these diseases is very individual and no patient experiences the same symptoms or manifestations of disease. But what bonds everyone — regardless of whether they live in the United States, India, Austr...

During the chaotic times that we are living in, it is more important than ever to reflect on the things we are appreciative of. It can be easy to forget to be thankful for the things we find normal in our everyday lives, such as our families, our homes, our education, our jobs, and more. So many of ...

Making hard decisions and advocating for what is best for me is all part of being an IBD patient. Growing up, I was knocked down by this disease countless times and had to advocate for second opinions or treatment plans that would improve my quality of life and help me achieve remission. Throughout ...

Before I was diagnosed with IBD, my life was fueled by a simple reason: I woke up, got on my bicycle, and trained each day to win bike races. I worked hard and made sacrifices to become the best professional athlete I could be. It all seemed straight forward, really. But things suddenly got complica...