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Own Your Crohn's

Empowering the Chronically Ill & Disabled to Lead Fuller Lives

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  • autoimmune disease,  Crohn's,  Diet,  invisible illness,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Minority Health,  Nutrition,  Ostomy,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Key Takeaways from Crohn’s & Colitis Congress 2023

    February 24, 2023

    The Crohn’s & Colitis Congress 2023 took place last month in Denver, Colorado, bringing together more than 1,300 healthcare professionals and researchers from across the globe to share the latest advancements in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To summarize some of my key takeaways: **Goal is to improve patient care by halting progression of disease** So, own your Crohn’s, own your ulcerative colitis, and stay abreast of the latest and greatest research in the IBD space to advocate for your own best care! To read more about Crohn’s & Colitis Congress 2023, please visit the full blog post on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s IBDVisible Blog. As a patient advocate myself, I…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    When Diagnoses Accumulate: My Sjögren’s Story

    April 13, 2022

    Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine as a Patient with Several Autoimmune Conditions

    March 22, 2021

    Dropping Mask Mandates: A Time of Anxiety or Joy?

    March 15, 2022
  • advocacy,  autoimmune disease,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  IgG4,  immunocompromised,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Minority Health,  Sjogren's

    When Diagnoses Accumulate: My Sjögren’s Story

    April 13, 2022

    April marks Sjögren’s Syndrome Awareness Month, so I thought it was high time I shared my Sjögren’s diagnosis journey now that I’m finally getting answers and treatment to deal with a condition that has been plaguing me for years. It all started in November after my laparotomy surgery. The gastroenterologist presiding over my care in Pittsburgh had noticed how much Restatis (cyclosporine for the eyes) and other eye drops I was using for dry eye and observed how often I was needing ice chips for dry mouth while I was NPO from the obstructions, the surgery and the post-op ileus. The skin on my arms and legs was also flaking…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    MM&M Transform Talks: Prioritizing the Patient Voice

    September 20, 2020

    ~OYC Trailblazers~ Anisha Zumba-ing Her Way into 2021!

    January 28, 2021

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

    September 8, 2022
  • Coming Out,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  diversity,  LGBTQ+ health,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  Pride,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Women's Health

    This Love Takes Guts

    October 11, 2021

    Our love isn’t simple, but it’s also the easiest feeling in the world. Being a woman in the LGBTQ+ community, I assumed that I would always have to come out over and over again throughout the course of my life. But when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s at 19 and had my first surgery at 20, I realized that I would have to come out about multiple parts of who I am for the rest of my life. It wasn’t until I found Girls with Guts in 2016 that I found a group of people that I finally didn’t have to go through the process of coming out to, at…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash
  • Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  hydration,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Minority Health,  Nutrition,  Ostomy,  Ulcerative Colitis,  World Ostomy Day

    Saravanan’s Exercise Tips as a Crohnie & Ostomate

    September 30, 2021

    As an ostomate and IBD patient, many people often ask me if I am able to play sports. I tell them ‘YES’. Yes, we can actively participate in sport activities, but there may be  some restrictions. For example, Larry  Nance Jr. is an NBA star who has Crohn’s disease (CD). But his illness does not prevent him from staying active. Although I am not a professional athlete, I do play sports for fun with my friends and it helps my physical and emotional well-being. However, as an ostomate and CD fighter, I have to take extra precautions while being physically active. I used to play football, badminton and volleyball before…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Why My IBD Scars Make Me Proud

    May 23, 2019

    OYC Trailblazers: What Healing Means to Natasha

    March 26, 2019

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

    September 4, 2019
  • Crohn's,  Cultural Stigma,  extraintestinal manifestations,  feeding tube,  Healthcare Disparities,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  Nutrition,  Stigma,  Women's Health,  World IBD Day

    Madhura’s Journey in India: Coping with Stigma around IBD & Feeding Tubes

    May 16, 2021

    My name is Madhura Balasubramaniam and I live in India. I have been locked in battle with my intestines for as long as I can remember. I spent a large part of my early childhood dealing with constant spells of stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting and rashes. I struggled to meet my height and weight targets and had multiple nutritional deficiencies. When I was 10 years old, I was given a tentative diagnosis of celiac disease and I have been gluten-free since. While this diet seemed to provide pain relief, I remained underweight and anaemic.  In mid-2018, I began to experience occasional bouts of watery diarrhea and fatigue. I was travelling…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    May 18, 2018

    Why My IBD Scars Make Me Proud

    May 23, 2019

    My Feature in Everyday Health as #EverydayWoman

    February 22, 2019
  • Asian American Pacific Islander Month,  autoimmune disease,  coping with flares,  Cultural Stigma,  diversity,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Women's Health

    Demi’s Journey: Coming Out with Ulcerative Colitis as a Filipino Woman

    May 3, 2021

    I sat on the toilet for the tenth time that day, clueless about what was going on inside of me. For the past seven months, I had been experiencing episodes of bloody diarrhea and had yet to be diagnosed. My ass was spewing blood and I was worried that I am losing a lot of it. I thought to myself: if I were back home in the Philippines, I would probably hear someone say “Baka kinulam ka” (“Someone probably hexed you”). Filipinos, although predominantly Catholic, have their share of beliefs – both superstitious and supernatural. Kulam, a form of folk magic, is one of them.  I turned 40 three months ago and…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash
  • advocacy,  autoimmune disease,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  Gastroparesis,  invisible illness,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  National Minority Health Month,  Ostomy,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Women's Health

    Bachatera with a Bag: Theodora Shattering Ostomy Stigma Through Dance

    April 27, 2021

    Elegance, beauty, confidence, and rhythm: these are some words used to describe a female Latin dancer. Chemistry, passion, sensuality: these often come to mind when describing or watching a Latin dance couple. Each genre of dance comes with its own culture. Dance shoes, music and certain beats accompany each genre and of course, that exists within bachata, a form of dance I love to practice. Nationally and internationally, people congregate to study, perform and/or socially dance the bachata together and there is absolutely nothing quite like it! Being a bachatera (a female bachata dancer), and 50% of a bachata dance partnership with my husband Marcos, I am fortunate to experience…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    How to Own Your Crohn’s & Ostomy While Traveling to India

    February 18, 2025

    OYC Trailblazers: What Healing Means to Natasha

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    6 Myths About IBD in Minority Patients, Busted

    December 20, 2018
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  Arab American Heritage Month,  awareness,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  Cultural Stigma,  diversity,  living with IBD,  Mental Health,  Minority Health,  National Minority Health Month,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Women's Health

    Basmah’s Journey: The Cultural Impacts of Being an Egyptian Crohnie

    April 18, 2021

    “You have Crohn’s Disease.” That’s what my gastroenterologist told me after my first colonoscopy in 2003. I was 16 years old, and nobody in my family, except for my mom who is a doctor, had heard of the disease.For the last 18 years, I have experienced multiple hospitalizations, taken a plethora of medications, and contended with related symptoms and illnesses such as extreme weight loss, loss of hair, C. difficile, osteoporosis, and blood clots. I am a child of immigrants from Egypt, and grew up in a tightly knit Arab Muslim community in Minnesota. I absolutely loved it (still do) when we all got together for picnics, holidays, and gatherings.…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    The Waiting Game

    June 30, 2018

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    September 11, 2019
  • autoimmune disease,  Black Lives Matter,  Caregiving,  Coronavirus,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  J-Pouch,  living with IBD,  Minority Health,  Ulcerative Colitis,  Women's Health

    Taryn’s Journey: Navigating Relationships and IBD During the Pandemic

    April 1, 2021

    “I think I might be at the start of a partial obstruction.  What do I do?” The words I shared with my husband in late March 2020 weren’t rhetorical.  It was more like I dropped a mini bomb into an already stressful situation. Even though I’ve had a series of partial bowel obstructions over the years, this time felt different. We were at the beginning of the pandemic.  At a time when merely stepping  outside seemed dangerous, a trip to the ER felt terrifying. In that moment, I was asking for much more than just advice.  I wanted – no, needed  – reassurance that regardless of what was happening with…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    September 18, 2021
  • Cultural Stigma,  endometriosis,  Minority Health,  Ostomy,  Women's Health

    ~OYC Trailblazers~ Tanya’s Journey with an Ostomy & Endometriosis

    March 25, 2021

    My name is Tanya and I live with endometriosis and a permanent ileostomy. I’m of North African and Asian background from Mauritius. For years, I experienced uncomfortable bowel pains and no one could diagnose me properly. I struggled with retaining weight as all of my food would pass through me. It felt as though I was intolerant to all foods. I often found blood in my stools, and I felt permanently bloated. I eventually resorted to eating the same meals everyday to avoid upsetting my stomach. Work colleagues would notice and question why I had the same lunch everyday.  Like many suffering from endometriosis, I was misdiagnosed with IBS and…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Madhura’s Journey in India: Coping with Stigma around IBD & Feeding Tubes

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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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