Posted by Kathy Rygg on November 16, 2018
My name is Kathy Rygg, and I’m the parent partner at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha in Nebraska. My son, who is now 11, started having symptoms at two but wasn’t diagnosed with ulcerative colitis until age five.
For years my son was in and out of remission, had hospital visits for blood transfusions due to severe sudden symptoms, and tried numerous diets and medications. Thankfully, after finding the right combinations of all these things, he has been in remission for the past year and a half.
Remission has allowed my son to continue playing competitive soccer, to take trumpet lessons at school, and be on the 6th grade Destination Imagination team. He also spent the past two years as an ambassador for our care center, being featured in local TV commercials, in print, and on local billboards. This has helped him be able to openly discuss his IBD with others and be an advocate.
I have been a part of the ImproveCareNow Parent Working Group for the past two years, and I have found it so valuable meeting other parents of children with IBD and sharing ideas. I’m very involved with my local Crohn’s & Colitis chapter, participating in the annual Take Steps walk and helping plan the annual fundraising gala. With the parent group at my care center I also help plan an annual IBD Family Day.
IBD wasn't something we asked for, but we got it anyway. So, now our entire family is involved; together we help volunteer at IBD events and are committed to doing everything we can to help educate people, to improve care and health of kids with IBD and raise money to ultimately find a cure for IBD!
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