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  • colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Coronavirus,  COVID-19,  Crohn's,  immunocompromised,  Ostomy,  Ostomy Awareness Day,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Managing Ostomy Care in the Era of Covid-19

    October 21, 2020

    Many of us with chronic illnesses have struggled throughout this pandemic with accessing timely care. One issue I’ve faced is because of my gastroparesis and other functional gastrointestinal conditions (IBS, SIBO etc.) acting up, my weight has been fluctuating a lot these last several months. As a result, my stoma size has been changing every week or two. With that, I’ve suffered a lot of ostomy leaks but even more skin irritation. While I’ve worked with my ostomy nurse virtually the last couple months to get my skin issues under control, I keep thinking of my ostomate family online and how you all may be handling your ostomy care in…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Colon Cancer & Its Devastating Impact on My Family

    March 19, 2020

    All of these exceptional women have won awards this year for their public advocacy efforts

    October 16, 2018

    OYC Trailblazers: An Ode to My Father & Fellow IBD Warrior

    January 30, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Colon Cancer & Its Devastating Impact on My Family

    March 19, 2020

    I was 8 years old when I walked into my father’s room in the hospital as he laid there coma-stricken in his final days. I told him I had gotten an A on my Science test, hoping in all my innocence that an A would make him so proud that he would wake up from his coma. He passed a few days later and I was heartbroken. My father, Dr. Moti Aswani, had long-standing Crohn’s Disease which turned into stage IV colorectal cancer 13 years into his diagnosis at the age of 37 (see An Ode to My Father & Fellow IBD Warrior). You see, Daddy had been told to…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    ~OYC Trailblazers~ Mollie’s Story: Living la Vida Latina with Ulcerative Colitis & an Ostomy

    September 27, 2019

    The Value of Support Groups

    August 26, 2018

    My Feature in Everyday Health as #EverydayWoman

    February 22, 2019
  • Ableism,  acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  Body Positivity,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  Ostomy Awareness Day,  Self-image,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    The Beauty of Ostomates Worldwide

    October 17, 2019

    Happy #OstomyOctober, everyone! After doing a piece about things we can do with an ostomy last year, it only seemed appropriate this year to highlight how diverse the population living with all types of ostomies is. Just to backtrack, many of you might be wondering what an ostomy is. According to the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA), “ostomy surgery is a life-saving procedure that allows bodily waste to pass through a surgically created stoma on the abdomen into a prosthetic known as a ‘pouch’ or ‘ostomy bag’ on the outside of the body.” There are generally three types of ostomies: (1) colostomy, (2) ileostomy and (3) urostomy. A colostomy takes a resected…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    What IBD Awareness Means to a South Asian American Woman with Crohn’s

    June 17, 2020

    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020
  • advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  Fistulizing Disease,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    The Top 10 IBD Blogs to Follow in 2019

    March 15, 2019

    Discussing bowel movements is undoubtedly a taboo subject for many people, which has helped a stigma form around Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). For people living with IBD, most commonly in the form of Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, ‘embarrassment’, ‘shame’, and ‘isolation’ are regularly used words to describe the emotional strain that accompanies the physical symptoms of their condition. These bloggers, each excelling in particular areas, write openly and honestly about the realities of life with IBD. In doing so, they are helping create a community that offers support, raise awareness that helps tackle the stigma, and provide practical tips for various walks of life. Top IBD Blogs for Real…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Disability Awareness in the Midst of Coronavirus

    March 12, 2020

    MC Capital T Reppin’ from the BK Walk!

    June 25, 2018

    In the Name of Science & Research

    June 25, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  Fistulizing Disease,  living with IBD,  Mindfulness,  Ostomy,  Pelvic pain

    My Feature in Everyday Health as #EverydayWoman

    February 22, 2019

    From Everyday Health’s Instagram: “Meet Tina Aswani Omprakash — the #IBD warrior and chronic illness advocate behind @ownyourcrohns. Tina was diagnosed with #Crohns disease 13 years ago and has since undergone over 20 surgeries, including a permanent #ostomy, four near-death experiences, and countless IBD-related manifestations and diagnoses. Tina is our #EverydayWoman today and everyday because despite her hardships with Crohn’s disease, she is passionate about leading a full and happy life and inspires others to do the same. Tina is an active leader in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and often writes on her blog about living with an ostomy and other IBD-related issues. Her mantra is to celebrate life,…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    6 Myths About IBD in Minority Patients, Busted

    December 20, 2018

    7 Tips for Traveling With IBD, From Someone Who Gets It

    July 1, 2022

    MM&M Transform Talks: Prioritizing the Patient Voice

    September 20, 2020
  • colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  Fistulizing Disease,  Gratitude,  living with IBD,  Mindfulness,  Ostomy,  Pelvic pain,  stigma,  Traveling with IBD,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Valentine's Day

    7 IBD-Inspired Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day

    February 14, 2019

    By Tina Aswani Omprakash February 13, 2019 One woman living with Crohn’s shares thoughtful Valentine’s gift ideas for the IBD warrior in your life. Valentine’s Day can be an anxiety-inducing holiday for many people. Especially for those of us living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If we’re single, our minds might run wild about when we might meet that special someone. And if we’re in a relationship, we might worry about experiencing symptoms during a romantic moment. But it’s important to remember that Valentine’s Day isn’t just a day for us to fret over romance. It’s a day for us to celebrate all kinds of love: love for significant others, family, and…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Honoring My Late Father

    June 17, 2018

    Real Talk about Ostomies

    October 5, 2018

    OYC Trailblazers: An Ode to My Father & Fellow IBD Warrior

    January 30, 2019
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  Father's Day,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    OYC Trailblazers: An Ode to My Father & Fellow IBD Warrior

    January 30, 2019

    This year I’m starting a new series called Own Your Crohn’s (OYC) TrailBlazers in which I share stories of other chronic illness warriors and their experiences. And who better to begin this series than my father, a long-time veteran of Crohn’s Disease?  Dr. Moti Aswani was born in New Delhi, India, and came to New York to study at the age of 21. And, oh, did he study! He held five degrees: a Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Masters degrees in Philosophy and Business Administration. He was a Senior Systems Engineer for the prestigious Bell Labs in New Jersey for many years thereafter. On paper, he was…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    When Diagnoses Accumulate – My Endometriosis Journey

    August 28, 2023

    My 9/11 Story: Paying Kindness Forward

    September 11, 2019

    When Diagnoses Accumulate: My Gastroparesis Story

    August 29, 2019
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    IBD Awareness Week Line-Up: Diversity, Mental Health & More!

    December 1, 2018

    Today kicks off Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week! The lead-up to this week has included my (very exciting!) feature on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s website for general IBD awareness and for racial and ethnic minorities. I also had the honor of sharing my IBD story with reporters from various media outlets who attended the Foundation’s briefing this past week. In discussing my story, I talked about the cultural impact of being a minority woman with Crohn’s Disease and a permanent ostomy. Being a different race, gender, sexuality and/or ethnicity adds a whole other layer of complexity to the IBD experience. I really wanted to bring to light how complicated our…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    The Waiting Game

    June 30, 2018

    ~ OYC Trailblazers ~ Amy & Terrell: Crohn-ically Ever After

    September 23, 2020

    Allowing Acceptance In

    November 21, 2018
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  coping with flare,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    All of these exceptional women have won awards this year for their public advocacy efforts

    October 16, 2018

    Winner, winner! Inspirational role models we look up to. Ostomy awareness involves advocacy, and to be effective in advocating for change we need influencers. Advocacy can be standing up and speaking out for a cause, voicing concerns about misconceptions, or connecting with individuals and organizations who need support. All of these exceptional women have won awards this year for their public advocacy efforts. Amber Wallace won a WEGO Health Award. View image on Twitter WEGO Health@wegohealth Congratulations to 2018 #WEGOHealthAwards Best Kept Secret winner Amber Wallace! @ostomydiaries Check out all the finalist & winner videos from this year’s celebration here: https://wegoh.co/2OWMWdb  4:50 PM – Oct 8, 2018 4 See WEGO Health’s other…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    ~OYC Trailblazers~ Michelle’s Story on the Intersection of Crohn’s & an LGBTQIA+ Identity

    June 22, 2020

    Ostomy Awareness Day: Empowering Ostomates to Live Fuller Lives

    November 22, 2019

    When Diagnoses Accumulate – My Endometriosis Journey

    August 28, 2023
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  colorectal cancer,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  patient rights,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Real Talk about Ostomies

    October 5, 2018

    On the eve of World Ostomy Day, I write this blog post in hopes of debunking many of the myths surrounding living with an ostomy. So here goes nothing… I always get super excited when friends and family muster up the courage to ask about my ostomy. It makes me feel so connected to them and like I’m being recognized for all of me and not just the healthy-looking parts of me. I feel their concern, their love and most of all, their interest in how I live my life, chronic illness and disabilities abound. See, the thing is, living with an ostomy is often the proverbial elephant in the…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    ~OYC TRAILBLAZERS~ Katie’s Story: Baby-Making Prospects & Egg-Freezing with a J-Pouch

    September 4, 2019

    What Will People Think? ~A Short Documentary by Chealynn Feaster

    December 27, 2019

    World IBD Day Panel Discussion: Experiences of Minority IBD Patients & Caregivers

    May 23, 2020
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Recent Posts

  • Feb 18, 2025 How to Own Your Crohn’s & Ostomy While Traveling to India
  • Jan 05, 2025 Key Takeaways from Advances in IBD (AIBD) 2024
  • Dec 05, 2024 Navigating Mental Health in Crohn’s Disease 
  • Dec 04, 2024 Highlights from ACG 2024: SAIA’s IBDesis’ Patient Experience
  • Nov 18, 2024 SAIA is proud to announce Tina Aswani-Omprakash, MPH as our full-time CEO!

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