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Empowering the Chronically Ill & Disabled to Lead Fuller Lives

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  • Crohn's,  Digital Healthcare Innovations,  Disability Justice,  invisible illness,  Irritable Bowel Syndrome,  J-Pouch,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  patient rights,  Ulcerative Colitis

    My Feature in The New York Times!

    June 22, 2022

    In conjunction with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s new We Can’t Wait App, nonprofit partner South Asian IBD Alliance’s Co-Founder & President Tina Aswani-Omprakash was interviewed and featured in the Metropolitan section of the Sunday’s edition of The New York Times on 19 June 2022!!! Read the article in-print below or online here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/nyregion/public-bathrooms-nyc-tiktok.html Check out the We Can’t Wait App to find the restroom nearest to you in the U.S. Available now for download in Apple Store and Google Play: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/wecantwait

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    World PTSD Day 2019: The Faceless Woman

    June 27, 2019

    3 Patient Tips for Living & Thriving with Crohn’s or Colitis

    December 10, 2018

    My Nomination for the WEGO Health Patient Advocacy Awards

    July 21, 2019
  • Ableism,  advocacy,  Coronavirus,  COVID-19,  Crohn's,  disability accommodations,  Disability Justice,  Gastroparesis,  invisible illness,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Ulcerative Colitis

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

    The last few weeks have felt daunting and overwhelming as I’ve been battling intense floods of illness and considering whether or not to resume graduate school part-time again this fall. You see, even contemplating a graduate program was a huge undertaking for me a couple years ago when I was accepted into a Certificate of Public Health program. As I slowly mustered up the courage to transfer into the Master’s in Public Health program, I felt scared yet hopeful all at once. And in between it all, I’ve had to take a trimester off to tend to my health.  But all that aside, now we are in the midst of a…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    The Beauty of Ostomates Worldwide

    October 17, 2019

    Disability Awareness in the Midst of Coronavirus

    March 12, 2020
  • advocacy,  awareness,  Black Lives Matter,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  Disability Justice,  Healthcare Disparities,  Minority Health,  Ostomy,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Black Lives Matter in the IBD Community, Too

    July 10, 2020

    In recent weeks, months and years, we have witnessed far too many hate crimes toward our Black brothers and sisters. It is not unknown to us that many Black bodies have been tested upon without fair pain medications, expected to endure tremendous suffering in the name of science. Within the healthcare system, not only do Black folx face significant health disparities and delays to diagnosis, they also deal with uphill battles when it comes to accessing good insurance, care and treatment options. With this blog post, I aim to shed light on the stories of 8 lovely Black inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients while sharing the resources of 3 die-hard…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    The Impact of IBD on Racial & Ethnic Minorities

    April 24, 2019

    My Feature During Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week

    November 8, 2018

    A Direct-to-Patient Model: How Online Pharmacy Marley Drug is Revolutionizing Drug Pricing

    September 8, 2022
  • Ableism,  acceptance,  advocacy,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  Disability Justice,  Minority Health,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    The recent advice column in the NY Times called “Is it OK to Dump Him Because of His Medical Condition?” has been percolating in our minds for the last few weeks. Tomorrow, July 2nd, 2020, marks 10 years since I’ve been married to the love of my life, Anand. Yes, you read that right: one whole decade of wedded bliss and 14 years of us being together. (See Love Knows No Disability.) I still vividly remember telling him 3 weeks into us dating that I had been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) a few short months earlier and that the disease had taken the lives of my father and…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Indian Ostomate Podcast Show: Episode 1 with Tina Aswani Omprakash

    July 23, 2020

    Love Knows No Disability

    July 2, 2019

    The Beauty of Ostomates Worldwide

    October 17, 2019
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  Disability Justice,  Healthcare Disparities,  LGBTQ+ health,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

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

    June 22, 2020

    By Michelle Cabral My symptoms first started around the age of 11. As I grew into my teenage and adult years, my symptoms worsened. I found myself dealing with bathroom urgency and vomiting on a daily life. I distinctly remember when I was about the age of 16, my mother and I were leaving a restaurant after a night out and I had already vomited. I still remember her saying something to the effect of “one day you’ll be able to go out for dinner and not feel like this.” Little did she know that my life would continue with this trajectory and I would finally be diagnosed via colonoscopy…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Step in Our Shoes: A Discussion on Being an Ally to the Black Community

    June 20, 2020

    12 News to Your Health IBD Segment

    June 23, 2018

    No More Secrets: An enlightening film that reveals the stigma of having an ostomy in India

    September 24, 2018
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  Black Lives Matter,  Disability Justice,  Healthcare Disparities,  Minority Health

    Step in Our Shoes: A Discussion on Being an Ally to the Black Community

    June 20, 2020

    Earlier this month, I moderated a live discussion for Savvy Co-op on all things around the racism, injustice, inequality that Black Americans face. The advocates involved included Tonya Hegamin (Author, Professor, Type 1 Diabetes/LGBTQIA+ advocate), Erron Maxey (international basketball player, ESL teacher, Crohn’s Disease advocate) & Larry Turner (former Lakers basketball player, coach & international basketball player). They each brought very unique perspectives and shared experiences that taught us all how to be more mindful of the discrimination that Black Americans face on a regular basis. To learn more on how to become an ally to the Black community and start having brave conversations that incite, check out our discussion…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Honoring My Late Father

    June 17, 2018

    My Health Became My Top Priority

    April 16, 2019

    The Waiting Game

    June 30, 2018
  • Ableism,  advocacy,  awareness,  Colorectal Surgery,  Coronavirus,  COVID-19,  Crohn's,  Disability Justice,  immunocompromised,  invisible illness,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Inspire’s #KeepUsAllSafe COVID-19 Campaign

    April 12, 2020

    Last week, Inspire released a short video we made virtually on why living with Crohn’s Disease and being immunocompromised during COVID-19 is downright terrifying for patients like myself who are chronically and invisibly ill. Please take a moment to watch this video and share to help raise awareness. And don’t forget – every life is valuable! So please #KeepUsAll safe by practicing social distancing and staying home as much as possible! Be well & best wishes always!

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Love Knows No Disability

    July 2, 2019

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

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

    December 27, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  Coronavirus,  COVID-19,  Crohn's,  Disability Justice,  invisible illness,  living with IBD,  Ulcerative Colitis

    An Interview with News 12 NJ: How Does Coronavirus Affect YOU?

    April 6, 2020

    Earlier today, News 12 NJ journalist Prashanthi Musapet interviewed IBD patient advocate Tina Aswani Omprakash of OwnYourCrohns.com on Instagram LIVE on her experience as an immunocompromised patient living with Crohn’s Disease in the midst of the #COVID19 pandemic. To watch the interview, view the video below. In the video, you will hear Tina’s thoughts and experiences about being #HighRiskCOVID19 and how critical social distancing and taking responsibility for public welfare is during this outbreak to save lives like hers. I hope you found this interview informative and I especially hope that speaking up about being immunocompromised during #Coronavirus helps to create awareness and education in the able-bodied world about chronic…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    My Pelvic Pain Story

    October 26, 2018

    A Day on the Hill: Putting a Face on IBD Legislation

    May 26, 2018

    Clinical Trials: The Next Frontier for Diverse Populations of IBD Patients

    July 31, 2019
  • Ableism,  acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  crip,  Disability Justice,  invisible illness

    Disability Awareness in the Midst of Coronavirus

    March 12, 2020

    The past 3.5 months I’ve spent much of my existence fairly immobile and mostly homebound: 2.5 weeks in an aircast, 8 weeks in a boot and 4 weeks in an ankle brace. Why? Because of a torn ligament in my ankle. And more recently, I’ve been in a neck brace due to a herniated disc in my neck/back. And now because of the infamous pandemic, Coronavirus. And during this time, I have come to understand the synergies at play within my body. You see, this hasn’t just been a simple ankle or neck injury for my body. They are excruciatingly debilitating on their own and even more so because I…

    Read More
    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

    Love Knows No Disability

    July 2, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  Crohn's,  Disability Justice,  Ulcerative Colitis

    My Nomination for the WEGO Health Patient Advocacy Awards

    July 21, 2019

    In the last few weeks, I was nominated for 6 different WEGO Health Awards in honor of my advocacy work for patients who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Patient Leader Hero, Best Advocacy for Another, Best in Show: Blog, Best in Show: Facebook, Best in Show: Twitter and Rookie of the Year. Now many of you might be wondering why I advocate. I advocate because we all deserve representation no matter the color of our skin, shape or size of our bodies, our gender, our sexual orientation or our ability (or lack thereof). ✊? We all deserve representation for our illnesses and disabilities. And our conditions and the way we…

    Read More
    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

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    December 10, 2018

    My Feature in Everyday Health as #EverydayWoman

    February 22, 2019
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  • 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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