No colon, still rollin!

This fundraiser helps support research and programs that give hope, resources, and better care to people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Every gift helps move us closer to better treatments and cures.

Here is my story!

My IBD journey began at 18 when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. What I thought would be manageable quickly became life‑altering. Years of failed medications, frequent hospital visits, and severe complications followed—including a reaction to a biologic that left me unable to walk without falling. During college, my mom became my full‑time caretaker, and my classmates and teammates helped me simply get to class.

For years, I traveled multiple times a week to Mayo Clinic for infusions and monitoring. Remission was short‑lived, and complications continued. In 2022, a colonoscopy revealed pre‑cancer, and I was told surgery was no longer optional. I underwent a life‑saving colectomy, followed by a second surgery in 2023 that resulted in a permanent ostomy.

These surgeries gave me my life back. My inflammation is under control, my liver levels are stable, my neurological condition is managed, and I’m able to travel, work, and truly live again. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, friends, and the IBD community.

After moving back to Arkansas, I attended a Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation event and immediately felt the power of community. The Foundation is more than research—it’s connection, education, support, and hope for those of us living with IBD.

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be this: you don’t have to do this alone. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation provides a space to be seen, heard, and supported—and plays a critical role in moving us closer to a cure.

Thank you for supporting this mission and helping us find a cure.