Meet Our Patients

MEET KYLIE
Kylie is a lively little girl who has lived nearly her whole life with Crohn's disease-having been diagnosed as a baby. After numerous hospitalizations and treatments, just like other children her age, this bubbly 4-year-old is now well enough to play soccer. Her parents are so thankful to see Kylie doing well, but still must go day-to-day not knowing when the disease will once again impact their daughter. They continue to rely on medications that come with serious side effects to keep her disease in remission. Like the other 150,000 children suffering from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Kylie's future depends on advancements in medical research for better treatments to ultimately find a cure.

MEET MEGAN
Throughout the past six years, Megan, a 17-year-old ulcerative colitis patient, has been through a roller coaster of a ride. Having undergone six surgeries and in living with this unpredictable disease, she has missed out on most typical teenage experiences. When not in the hospital because of her illness, Megan succumbed to medication side effects such as bloating, psychosis, sleep deprivation, and overeating. She has also had to have her colon surgically removed. Megan and her family were introduced to others going through similar experiences at a Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation support group. With their help, Megan’s family was able to advocate on her behalf when she was too sick to attend school. Today, Megan, takes pride in the lessons she's learned from living with IBD and willingly shares them with others. She is supporting the Foundation’s efforts to find improved treatment options and a cure through her involvement in Foundation events. While a medical cure cannot return Megan’s childhood years, it will go a long way in helping her to enjoy an active adulthood while also providing a brighter future for the thousands of children experiencing the problems she once did.

MEET EMMA
Since being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in January 2007 and undergoing several invasive procedures, 10-year-old Emma hasn’t let the ups and downs of living with a chronic disease stop her from enjoying her childhood. Despite having to receive nutrients through a liquid formula directly into her stomach during her past two summer vacations, Emma attended dance camp, rode her bike, bounced on her trampoline, and went swimming. Some days she is tired and in too much pain to play but she still tries to be optimistic. Meeting others who suffer from Crohn’s and colitis help Emma remember that she’s not alone, and hosting yard sales and school fundraisers gives her a way to help find a cure. Like thousands of other children she relies on CCFA to fund research so that, in the future, children suffering from these diseases can be carefree.

MEET FRANK
Despite traveling down a long road of medicines, misdiagnoses, and flares since his diagnosis of Crohn’s disease over 20 years ago, Frank maintains a positive, fighting attitude. He won’t let his illness get in the way of doing things he loves, including traveling, and makes the point of being honest with others about his disease which can be embarrassing and inconvenient at times. He understands the emotions encountered living with inflammatory bowel disease and uses that to positively impact others suffering from chronic illnesses. He is author of a children’s book on inflammatory bowel disease, and wrote the book as a way to raise awareness and to teach children of the feelings brought on by digestive disease. As a licensed psychologist and executive director of a psychological center, Frank helps instill his upbeat outlook in others. He feels confident that CCFA’s research can find better treatment options that will allow him to live a more comfortable lifestyle.