Posted by ImproveCareNow™ on October 27, 2026
After making the brave choice to put her health first and delay her presentation to recover from surgery last year, Autumn took the stage at our Fall Community Conference to deliver her long-awaited #IgniteTalk. Autumn's story highlighted the power of working with providers who saw her as a whole person. She shared about finding and working with her IBD psychologist, her beloved bunny (Josie), and how she built a trusting relationship that includes a heated Bengals vs. Steelers football rivalry. Autumn's story is a deeply moving call to action for care providers to look beyond body size and clinical metrics, to create compassionate and curious spaces where every patient feels comfortable, validated, and truly seen.
Be inspired by Autumn's #IgniteTalk 🔥
I was heartbroken last fall when I learned at the last minute that I wasn’t going to be able to go to conference. Though, I was determined to go and willing to do whatever to be there to give that ignite talk! Bag packed, I was ready to make a 16 hour drive!! Though, I am grateful to have the ICN staff and Dr. David who care about me and talked me into putting my health and safety first! There’s always next year. Though it was heartbreaking to hear those words of love and care to stay home and safe as I recovered from surgery, I’m glad I put myself and my health first, I know I made the right decision. While it was a hard time, missing last year's conference gave me a unique opportunity this year, and now the time has finally come that I get to share my story!
I’ve never known a life without IBD. I was just a little 6-year-old girl when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s.
I don’t remember my diagnosis or all of the long road trips to children's hospitals to finally be diagnosed. I was just a young kid that always had IBD, I knew nothing else, but I didn’t let that stop me! I went to school, made friends, played sports, my VERY favorite being football! Crohn’s or not, I was going to do what I loved, and that was hanging out with my best friends and playing football, where I showed those boys who’s boss!
I remember always feeling like I was different, like I was in a room of family and friends wearing dark clothes, and here I was in bright green! I can remember times when I would go many days, or even months without my IBD crossing my mind. Until I couldn't... Until I was running to the bathroom, couldn't eat what everyone else was eating, couldn't hide the pain my stomach was causing me, It was then when I couldn't act and feel like I didn't have IBD. That was when reality hit me.
Growing up with Crohn's meant I grew up having a GI doctor. After my diagnosis, my parents brought me back to a hospital closer to home for managing my care. I remember going to my IBD appointments as a young girl and it was always an appointment I dreaded and disliked. I never felt comfortable with my GI and it felt like they never focused on what I was there for, my IBD, but focused on my body, always having to sit and be shown these charts on the computer screen comparing me to other kids, despite my actual health, a healthy, young, and very active kid that played sports with practices all throughout every week.
I was just 14 when my GI provider recommended I use a calorie tracking app.
I was a young girl, just trying to listen to who was supposed to be someone helpful and that I could trust. So, I got the app and started tracking. The focus on my weight went on for years, and it led me to feeling insecure and not good enough, like my body HAD to change, and this always felt like the focus at my follow-ups. I was guided into some maladaptive habits, which resulted in some very unhealthy habits with food, one of which was not allowing myself to eat until the afternoon after my GI appointments so l'd be that pound less than if I had eaten, hoping I was able to satisfy my GI and give them what they seemed to want. I look back to my younger self and realize I was too young to know any better, to know these things weren’t ok or normal. That I wasn’t supposed to, nor should I be feeling this way or guided into these unhealthy habits. I remember being about 17 years old and being told my GI provider was leaving, and I would need a new one. I was so happy and excited to get a new doctor, hoping I would like and be more comfortable with this one. Fast forward to today, I can happily share that I now have the most amazing, thoughtful, and caring GI Doctor, Dr. Michel!!
I couldn’t ask for a better person to be caring for me and my IBD. She has shown me what a patient-provider relationship is supposed to be like, and she’s set a new standard for myself and my care. I don’t deserve to be judged by my doctor about my body, I’m more than how my body looks and the unrealistic standards set by society. My body and size does not define my health. Dr. Michel treats me as a whole person, someone more than IBD! From checking in on how things are going in life, asking me about my bunny, and chatting about our favorite football teams. We actually have a very heated rivalry between the two of us, she likes the Steelers, and I like the Bengals and those two teams do NOT like each other! Yet, it’s brought us a closer, patient-provider relationship. Every football season I cannot wait to beat the Steelers so I can inform her at my next follow-up that my team beat hers, as if she didn’t know! And if my team loses, well, I don't bring that up!
I’ve never known a life without medication.
I took mesalamine pills for 16 years. I became tired. Exhausted. Burnt out on taking pills. I started skipping doses so I could have some kind of a break. It started with skipping a day, then multiple days, which turned into weeks without a single dose. I would sit staring at my hand full of pills trying to get myself to take them but I just couldn’t get myself to do it. In these kinds of tougher times I always tell myself, “I was given this life because I’m strong enough to live it” and this normally gives me the little boost that I need, but I was just so burnt out, I didn’t want to ever take another pill. I was struggling so much that I got this thought, “What if I tried going medication free?” so I asked my GI doctor and considering I’ve always managed my Crohn’s pretty well, we both agreed to give it a try! Though deep down I thought, there's no way I could possibly go and stay med free, right? Unfortunately, that thought came true. A few months later, it all hit me. I fell into a flare, and at the worst time possible, right when my GI was going to be out for a few months, and I was without the person who knew me best. I instantly started having thoughts and feelings,
“Did I cause this?”
“This wouldn’t have happened and I wouldn’t be feeling like this if I had just taken my medicine.”
With my doctor being out, I had to see another GI, and all I could think going into that appointment was...
“Please, no more pills!!”
Well, I left that appointment with my pill case even fuller. I had to have scopes done and biopsies showed prolonged inflammation. I was having inflammation for much longer than the time I was experiencing symptoms. I had to continue taking the dreaded handful of pills every day until my GI was back and she brought up changing to a biologic. This was a change I did not think would happen for any other reason than pill fatigue, but here I was changing treatment because my Crohn’s was requiring me to. I felt relieved hearing “prolonged inflammation” because I was told the inflammation had probably been going on for longer than me not taking my medication. I was not mad about changing treatments, I was actually very happy! Ditching what felt like 20 pills a day, for an infusion every 8 weeks? I’ll take it!!
October of 2020, I was having one of my worst flares.
I couldn't eat anything. I would get so nauseous, so I was living on Boost drinks. The symptoms were awful and I was forced to step back from my daily life. I went in for scopes and while checking in and doing paperwork I must have expressed on one of those papers my awful and debilitating anxiety. So, while waiting to go back for scopes I was asked, "Do you want to be connected with someone for anxiety?" My dad sitting right there next to me, I acted careless of the idea and gave an answer of "Sure", acting like I didn't care about being connected with someone and wasn't going to follow through with it, but really I was screaming inside for help! I didn't know what else to do to help myself, the anxiety was debilitating, and I wasn’t going to ask for help myself, but am so glad it was offered to me.
Along with IBD, I have IBS, and anxiety just increased my symptoms and made things even more difficult for me, physically and mentally. I was at a breaking point, not only from the debilitating mental struggles, but the physical side effects too. This is when I got connected with an IBD psychologist. I didn't even know such a thing existed! And I got connected with, arguably, THE BEST Psychologist, Dr. David!! And I am so glad I did! Not only was this one of the greatest decisions I’ve made for myself but little did I know it would lead to such a special relationship between Dr. David and I, as well!
I am so grateful to have you and the special relationship we have, Dr. David, it’s one I never imagined I’d have with a provider! Never in my life did I think for a second that I would ever need nor see a mental health professional, but there I was. I’ve made tremendous progress, with both anxiety and IBS well managed! The space Dr. David has provided me has always been an accepting and comfortable one. We weren’t serious all of the time, we would talk about my little cousins, things I’ve done since our last visit, and about our furry friends! Anyone who knows me knows my bunny, Josie, is my entire world and I love sharing pictures and memories of her! If I’m asked about my bunny or football, you’ll already have me feeling more comfortable! And I think briefly talking about these other things that are not IBD, anxiety, or IBS is what’s provided me the comfort and courage to share more of my experiences because I felt more comfortable and I gained trust!
Just a little 6-year-old girl when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s...I grew up only knowing a life with Crohn’s.
The first 13 years of my diagnosis I went without knowing anyone else with this disease, feeling like I was the only one in the world with it. Now, here I am today in a room filled with people knowledgeable about IBD, that care about those with IBD, and others that have IBD too!! And I’m so happy to be a part of such an incredible organization and group of people and can’t wait to also contribute as a professional in the future!
If there’s something I hope you take from my story today, it’s two things:
1) to see patients as a whole person, and
2) that you have the ability to create a comfortable clinical space!
Check in with them, ask about things a patient likes, sports they might play, or about their beloved pet. We are more than a disease! And create a space accepting of all body sizes! Size does not equal health and all bodies deserve compassionate care! Be mindful of your words and actions, your patients will remember what you say, do, and how you made them feel, use that to make a difference! Patients deserve healthcare where they’re listened to and feel comfortable and cared for at any size. Together, we can improve patient care and experience by caring for the person behind each patient!
Want more 🔥 ignite in your life? Find our fabulous Ignite Talks from patients, parents & clinicians 💚💙