We've been getting to know ICN staff members through our imPACt ImproveCareNow network series (last time we talked with Chris Keck about why storytelling matters). In this episode, join Caitlyn, Vanessa and Fionna for a chat with Sydney Bogardus who supported the PAC and the PFAC (Patient/Family Advisory Council) for several years before taking on another role in ICN.

LOOP is an important place for our community to keep #TalkingAboutIBD. It’s a place where #StoriesMatter - where they connect us, build confidence, validate our experiences, remind us we are not alone, and motivate us to continue improving together.

So far, in 2022, 41 stories have been published by patients, caregivers, clinicians, collaborators, researchers, staff & leaders from across the ICN community sharing their unique perspectives on and experiences with IBD. Our top stories this year have covered a variety of topics, including: research on diet and fatigue, innovative IBD projects, new member introductions and top tips for newly-diagnosed patients, conversations about medical trauma, collaborating with IBD caregivers, and gratitude for leadership and learning together so we can all improve the health and care of people living with IBD.

Autonomy means being in control of your own decisions. For pediatric patients living with IBD, there comes a time when you get to start making decisions about your health and care more on your own. Join me (Hannah), Leela, Kera, Fizza and Ryleigh for a chat about patient autonomy in IBD care.

What if your closest friend had a habit of interrupting your plans and not listening when you begged them to stop? You might might wish to end that friendship. But, as Mahalakshmi points out in her #IgniteTalk, which she shared at both our in-person and our virtual community conference this fall, when "friend" is really a metaphor for IBD there isn't really a choice. 

Be inspired by Mahalakshmi's #IgniteTalk 🔥 

Join me (Fionna) and my fellow PAC members, Christian and Shira for our conversation with the hosts of the NASPGHAN podcast, Bowel Sounds, Dr. Temara Hajjat and Dr. Jason Silverman. We discuss what we wish providers knew from the patient perspective and uncover what providers wish patients knew. 

Join Vanessa, Hannah and Fionna for their conversation about IBD during different stages of schooling. Between the three, they have lived experiences with both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, with being diagnosed at different life stages (during early education and in high school) and with balancing high school, college and grad school with IBD.

We are hosting a Fall 2022 Virtual Community Conference as a way for us to connect, share information and updates, and learn from each other. This event is online, and is free & open to all who want to attend. We are keeping it brief (90 minutes), conveniently timed (6:30-8pm ET/3:30-5pm PT) and flexible - making it easy for you to drop in for some or all of the event. Our content is all intentionally focused toward patients and caregivers living with IBD. So, please join us (and invite someone you care for to join us) for #ICNVCC on November 9 from 6:30-8pm ET/3:30-5pm PT. 

“If you just sit and give folks a list of facts, they can debate those facts or try to refute them. They can't debate your story. Because it's your story." - Chris Keck on the imPACt Podcast 

Join Vanessa, Becky and Fionna for their conversation with Chris Keck from ImproveCareNow. We discuss storytelling - particularly personal narratives - and why stories matter.

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) are different disorders that intersect sometimes. Join Shira and I (Maddie) as we share our experiences and talk with Carlo Di Lorenzo, MD about IBS, IBD, and the complex and fascinating interactions between the brain and the gut.

Welcome to the second episode in a 3-podcast series we're doing in collaboration with the ICN SWAP group (SWAP stands for Social Workers & Psychologists). In this episode, you'll hear me (Ryleigh) and my fellow PAC member Avery talking with Lauren Potthoff, PhD - an IBD psychologist at Lurie Children's in Chicago - about mental health during IBD flares.