I'm 19 years old, and I have Crohn's disease. I was diagnosed in 2012 when I was eight years old. One interesting fact is that I know how to surf even though I'm from West Virginia. I struggle the most with not letting Crohn's consume my life.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at six years old, a year after I started experiencing symptoms. I have now been managing this chronic illness for 16 years! In addition to being diagnosed young, I was living in the Netherlands at the time -- while I wasn't born here, all of my family is from here and Dutch was my first language.

My name is Autumn; I am 20 years old and I am currently in college. I am from Ohio and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in April of 2008, when I was just six years old. I have had Crohn’s for 14 years this month (April 2022). Something most people don’t know about me is that I absolutely love to travel. Long road trips (at night is my favorite!) and going and seeing places I have never been to before is something I really love and enjoy… I see a lot of adventures in my future! A couple places I would love to visit one day would be Canada and Disney World. OH...I really want to fly on a plane!

Hi! My name is Fizza, and I am 17 years old. I was diagnosed in March 2021 with Crohn’s disease. One interesting thing people don’t know about me is that I love to do makeup. It’s like therapy to me.

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

So far, in 2021, 70 stories have been shared #InTheLOOP. Patients, clinicians, parents, dietitians, researchers, and staff & leaders from across the ICN Community have written about IBD from their unique perspectives. They have covered topics ranging from support and advocacy to the importance of sharing openly and talking about IBD, from research and innovative projects to personal struggles, triumphs and hopes for the future.

Without further ado, here are the stories you read the most in 2021!

My name is Lordis, I am a 16 year old senior in High School and I have Crohn’s disease. I work at TJ Maxx part time, as well as with children at my local community center. A lot of people don’t know that I like to paint and make bracelets.

I'm Rachel, but go by Rach. I'm a 17-year-old rising senior in high school, and about to start a job at Panera Bread. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2016 at age 13. Most people don't know that I love unicorns!! ♥

Hello, my name is Adrielle and I am a 17-year-old rising senior in high school. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 16 years old. Something that most people do not know about me is that I have a love for fashion. I channel this love by designing and creating my own clothes with my sewing machine.

Hi everyone! My name is Maitri, and I attend the Ohio State University (yes, the "the" is obnoxious but absolutely necessary). I am majoring in Neuroscience, and plan on attending medical school! I also work as a part-time PCA at Nationwide Children's Hospital. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 15. An interesting thing that most people don't know about me is that I am trilingual - I speak Gujarati, Hindi, and English!

Hey! My name is Caitlyn, I'm an 18 year old freshman in college. I was only just recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease in December of 2020, but I have struggled with symptoms for a while. An interesting fact about me is that I grew up in a military family and have lived all over the country.