I had the pleasure of presenting at the Spring 2021 Live Online Community Conference last week on the topic of “Recovering from Flares”. Myself and other PAC members discussed things like: what a flare looks like, how a patient can anticipate a flare and what steps they can take in communicating with their providers and family to avoid serious health repercussions. Our goal was to really emphasize proactivity and empower patients to take charge of their health. 

I'm really excited about this topic and have shared a bit more about it below, including how you can listen as we continue the conversation in Episode 3 of the imPACt podcast this Friday.

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! 

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: