LOOP Blog

Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am a 16 year old high school student who also works part time at a pizza restaurant. I love meeting new people and enjoy engaging in activities outside of my comfort zone.

Hi, I’m Makenna and I’m here to talk to you about Feeding Tubes. In my experience, they are something not a lot of people know about and I want to change that.

Hi, I’m Maha, one of the PAC members you’ll hear talking about IBD in the second episode of our imPACt podcast! 

On Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26, ImproveCareNow will host their third LIVE Online Community Conference (LOCC). Sessions begin on March 25 at 9:30 AM ET (8:30 AM CT, 7:30 AM MT, 6:30 AM PT) and continue through 5:00 PM ET when a causal Engagement and Social Hour begins. Sessions resume again on March 26 at 10:00 AM ET and continue through the first half of the day, with a wrap up scheduled at 1:20 PM ET. 

All are welcome to join us for this interactive, online event where we plan to all teach and all learn about topics including advocacy for patients, families, and the community; managing mental health and IBD during the COVID-19 pandemic; recovering from flares; and food insecurity.

Hi everyone! My name is Ryleigh, I'm 17, and I have Crohn's disease. I'm currently a senior in high school and plan to attend college in the fall. Something that most people don't know about me is that I used to be able to name over one hundred dog breeds when I was little, but I've forgotten a lot of them now.

IBD can feel lonely and isolating. It can really help to connect with and talk to other people who understand because they live with IBD too. Fionna shares what being part of the Patient Advisory Council (PAC) means to her and how it has influenced her IBD journey:

Makenna Martin is my name and I am looking forward to attending technical school in the fall of 2021. I love researching just about anything and everything when I have the time. Lately I have spent a lot of time researching the difference between TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) and Enteral feedings. They both give you what you need, just one goes through a vein and the other straight to the stomach. 

Hey, it’s Robbie! I’m a member of the Patient Advisory Council (PAC) and your host for Episode 1 of the imPACt podcast today. The PAC and I are beyond excited to share our first full episode of the imPACt podcast with you! Sharing the perspectives of patients and caregivers is our goal, and imPACt truly brings a new, modern twist on allowing others to listen to perspectives of those within the ICN community.

My name is Hannah, and I am a sophomore in high school. In August of 2020, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Within a couple weeks of that diagnosis, I had my colon removed. After that I had an ostomy for about four months before having my j-pouch surgery in December. One interesting thing that most people don't know about me is that I have moderate hearing loss in my right ear.

IBD treatment plans are as varied as the patients who live with and follow them. Vanessa shares her experience with IBD and how her treatments impact her daily life: