LOOP Blog

I'm Lexi - a rising high school senior. In December 2019, I was having severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The doctor at Urgent Care thought my gallbladder was the cause of my pain and suggested I go to the emergency room immediately to have it removed. At the ER, after many tests, they determined it was not my gallbladder but could not figure out the cause of my pain. I was referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist.

In February 2019 our Engagement Team asked the ICN Community to share what information, knowledge and know-how could help others living with IBD, and how best to get those resources into the hands of people who need them. Two weeks ago we shared feedback and resources related to “Information and resources surrounding different facets of IBD.” Today, we're sharing feedback and resources related to "Information and resources to support psychosocial health."

We know there is more work to do, and this is the start of identifying resources that can help our community. If you know of any resources that address the topics shared in this post, please contact us so we can share seamlessly.

Hi! My name is Laurel and I am a 20-year-old college student, majoring in Human Biology. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2012 and have been on biologic infusions ever since. One thing many people don't know about me is I absolutely love insects and am minoring in entomology!

In February 2019, the ImproveCareNow Engagement Team surveyed CIRCLE community members to identify information, knowledge & know-how that could benefit others living with IBD and their families/caregivers. Specifically, we hoped to uncover resources and methods of sharing that would help us identify gaps in resources and information ImproveCareNow currently provides to the IBD community.

Seventy people took our survey, including patients with IBD and their parents/caregivers. We learned a great deal through our analysis of the survey results. At a high level, we were able to identify four key areas of need:

• parents and patients want information and resources surrounding different facets of IBD, including:
  • general disease information
  • information on treatment
  • resources for helping them manage IBD
• respondents want information and resources to support psychosocial health, including:
  • to promote emotional wellbeing
  • access to patient and caregiver support groups
• respondents expressed difficulty with insurance coverage and financial issues
• respondents shared diverse preferences for how and where they receive information

Below we will dive more deeply into the area of “Information and resources surrounding different facets of IBD.” Where possible, we will link directly to useful resources that may help address some of the specific needs expressed through the survey. We know there is more work to do, and this is the start of identifying resources that can help our community. If you know of any resources that address these topics, please contact us so we can share seamlessly.

Recently, I sent my Grandfather from out of town a surprise package. I took the time to search through all of the wonderful LOOP posts made by PAC members and pulled out all the posts I have written. I compiled them into a word document and attached the pictures as well. I made the font decently big and separated each article to make it easy to read. I printed a copy, wrote my Grandpa a note and sent the package on its way to Pennsylvania.

My name is Benjamin and I am a rising senior in high school. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was 10 and a half. Since then, I have found joy in art, Boy Scouts, numerous sports, and theatre.

I'm Lucy and I'm 19. I just finished my freshman year of college, and I have Crohn's disease. I love dancing, especially tap dance, and I enjoy the outdoors.

We believe in the power of storytelling to connect us, help us all teach and all learn, and to remind us we are not alone. We want to encourage you - whether you have experience with IBD already or are learning about it for the first time - to take a moment and experience life with these chronic illnesses through the stories of five of our community members 💚💙

At April’s Live Online Community Conference (LOCC), Dayton Children’s introduced the Should I have IBD surgery? shared decision-making webtool and Dear Ostomy video. These resources are key components of an IBD Surgery Shared Decision-Making Toolkit that the Dayton team created using an ImproveCareNow (ICN) Innovation Fund award, made possible with support from the Clare Foundation. The toolkit generated a lot of excitement and questions, so project leaders, Dr. Kelly Sandberg and parent Shellie Doub took some time to answer to the most frequently asked questions.

From her home office, Catalina spoke clearly and with great conviction, delivering her narrative directly to…her computer screen. Many of us have become accustomed to hearing Ignite Talks delivered to a packed plenary room at our in-person Community Conferences – and the effect these personal stories have is often palpable. Though it was not the original plan, Cat’s words flowed from her location in North Carolina across hundreds and even thousands of miles, reaching ImproveCareNow community members as they joined our first-ever Live Online Community Conference from their homes and offices. While the distance between was indeed great – Cat’s words drew us in close and (as Ignite Talks tend to do) reignited the passion we all feel for the work of ImproveCareNow - of improving health and care for kids with IBD. And from across the miles, the effect of Cat's words were still palpable:

“Incredible Cat!! Words do not do justice to what you are conveying to all of us - the village of ICN!”

“Inspiring for us all! Makes you want to try even harder!”

“You are incredible Cat!!! Your strength and advocacy is inspiring!!! THANK YOU!!!”

“I'M CRYING”

“You remind us why it is so worth it to keep fighting and working. Thank you!”

“Cat gives me chills.”

*stands up and claps*

“Really beautiful. As a caregiver, I feel your passion and share your sense of purpose. Very well done.”

Experience Cat’s Ignite Talk: