Posted by ImproveCareNow™ on December 19, 2017
LOOP is making an impression on the IBD community! In 2017 LOOP was recognized twice as a top blog for Crohn’s disease – 19 of 100 by Feedspot and Top 10 by Medical News Today! This is a direct result of the variety and quality of stories and perspectives shared by so many members of the ImproveCareNow community!
In 2017, 50 posts were published by 36 ICN community members! And 18 people posted for the very first time during the year. Posts covered topics like: IBD research, new PAC member intros, ICN event updates, what I wish you knew, and many open & honest accounts of life with IBD.
We are thankful for each and every one of these stories. Here are the top 10, most viewed, LOOP posts of 2017!
A Parent’s Report from the Advances in IBD – 2016 Conference - David Wohl
"I sat among the sea of clinicians...jotting down what I found of greatest interest from the perspective of #DadofkidwithIBD."
David is the parent of a 12 year old living with Crohn's. He shared his observations from the Advances in IBD 2016 Conference, dedicated to topics in IBD research and care.
A Letter to My Younger Self - Bianca Siedlaczek
“A lot will happen in these next few years -- I can't promise it'll be easy, but I can promise it will be okay."
What would the older you say to your younger self about life with IBD? Bianca shared her letter on LOOP.
4 Things I Learned as a High School Student with Crohn’s Disease - Bianca Siedlaczek
"I have no doubt in my mind that I will do great things in college - I believe in myself and I know what I am capable of"
Bianca reflects on what she learned as a high school student with Crohn's disease.
Ulcerative colitis helped me discover my love of medicine - Taylor Heppner
"I remember very clearly that moment when I first felt completely free from shame about my disease. It was in my high school speech class and it was the first time I had verbally told anyone what disease I had."
PAC Welcomes new member Taylor - she credits UC with helping her discover her love of medicine.
Not Letting Crohn’s Take Control - Natalie Ward
"I wanted to have the chance to work with others just like me, while helping and influencing others with the same diseases."
Natalie knows her boundaries and when to take a break, so she can keep active and not let Crohn's take control.
Crohn's, I Thank You - Nicki Redmond
"For me, I’ve accepted myself and remind myself constantly that IBD doesn’t define me. If anything it’s helped me see that I have a lot of supporters who are willing to laugh with me."
Nicki shares some of the positives that she has noticed in her own life with Crohn's.
Implementing Transition & Transfer of Care Systems in Pediatric IBD - Sarah Nocito
"The findings support previous studies, which show that successful transition and self-management require a multidisciplinary approach to transition planning that includes behavioral medicine and social work."
Updates on how the ImproveCareNow Transition Task Force is tackling transition and transfer of care across our pediatric IBD Network.
What's the Buzz on Buzzy - Sarah Nocito
“I was able to bring the story of what happened in my home to the forefront (negotiating for 45 mins; pain and fear during injections; the relief after using Buzzy) and use that experience to create a project to potentially help others.”
Liz Dapp and the team at Riley Hospital for Children have completed their one-year project aimed at determining if Buzzy, a pain interference device, could help other families struggling with needle phobia or medication transition.
What makes a good public restroom from an IBD patient’s perspective – Catalina Berenblum
“For starters, the best public restrooms are those that allow you to visit them without purchasing something.”
Over the course of my many excursions to public restrooms, however, I’ve managed to compile a list of characteristics that make them an absolute pleasure to visit.
If You Can’t Be First – Sami Kennedy
“When you are suffering due to intestinal damage that may not be able to be repaired, and then someone, intentionally or innocently, confuses your condition with one that wouldn't leave you as scarred and bleeding, confusing emotions can emerge”
Sami shares her thoughts on empathy when it comes to correcting assumptions made about another person's disease. Also the importance of remembering that there is no one [health] experience that is more or less valid than another.
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Let’s share even more stories and perspectives in 2018!
Help us out: Share your story about living with, treating & managing, or answering questions about IBD through research.
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