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Own Your Crohn's

Empowering the Chronically Ill & Disabled to Lead Fuller Lives

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

    December 1, 2018

    Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week: Minorities, Mental Health & IBD

    December 9, 2018

    Real Talk About Fistulae

    January 19, 2019
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  Self-image,  stigma

    A Valentine’s Day Special: Dating & Relationships with an Ostomy

    February 25, 2020

    A couple weeks ago, Amber Wallace Ogle of Ostomy Diaries and I did a Facebook Live in conjunction with Hollister Incorporated regarding dating, relationships and intimacy with an ostomy. Yes, folks, it is possible and that’s what Amber and I aimed to share–our stories of happiness and heartbreak and how we found lasting love and continue to thrive in our relationships while we live with permanent ostomies. Feel free to check out the video below. Enjoy! So, own your Crohn’s, own your ostomy, and take charge of your relationships and remember that our ostomies are not a flaw. They make us whole again and help us survive what we may…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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

    September 24, 2018

    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    Owning My Crohn’s Mindfully This New Year

    January 5, 2019
  • acceptance,  advocacy,  awareness,  Body Positivity,  Colorectal Surgery,  Crohn's,  Dating & Relationships,  Gratitude,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  Ostomy Awareness Day,  Self-image,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Ostomy Awareness Day: Empowering Ostomates to Live Fuller Lives

    November 22, 2019

    Last month, Amber Wallace Ogle of Ostomy Diaries & I got together with Hollister, Inc. (a major ostomy manufacturer) to bring our audiences a discussion on how to lead a fuller life with an ostomy. Our aim was to engage viewers from around the world who may be struggling with self-image, body image, family life and relationships with an ostomy. And it was a grand success! We reached nearly 1,500 viewers from over 46 countries and from the feedback received, it was a video that helped many. Here’s to many more conversations like this where we can help ostomates feel less like outcasts and more like the beautiful human beings…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    “I Had an Ostomy—and It Changed My Life”

    December 11, 2019

    OYC Trailblazers: Celebrating Melissa’s J-Pouch-versary

    February 25, 2019

    12 News to Your Health IBD Segment

    June 23, 2018
  • 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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    I am NOT a Burden: A South Asian Perspective

    July 1, 2020

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

    The Other Side of Crohn’s: Caregiving

    December 9, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  Crohn's,  Lobbying,  patient rights,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Summer of Activism: IBD Advocates You Should Follow on Social Media

    August 7, 2019

    Originally published by Amber Tresca on August 6th, 2019: http://aboutibd.com/2019/08/06/summer-of-activism-ibd-advocates-you-should-follow-on-social-media/ Improving the quality of life for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) takes commitment and focus to understanding the issues affecting patients and caregivers. Real change means engaging with all stakeholders, including physicians, industry, and government, as well as patients and caregivers. A future that includes more effective treatments and compassionate care for those touched by IBD will only happen when those who have the best interests of patients at heart take their seat at the table. There are many activists in the IBD community that are doing this hard work and you can strengthen their achievements by amplifying their…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    Immunocompromised in the Age of Coronavirus

    May 1, 2020

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020

    My Nomination for the WEGO Health Patient Advocacy Awards

    July 21, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  Clinical Trials,  living with IBD

    My Feature for Clinical Trial Awareness with Parexel

    June 1, 2019

    Honored to represent the clinical trial community within the Crohn’s Disease space for Parexel! Clinical trials are an important way for new medications to be tested and approved for use to provide quality of life, hope and happiness to those who suffer from chronic illnesses. Please take a moment to read my clinical trial story below and share: For every share of my clinical trial story, Parexel will donate funds to raise awareness for the importance of clinical research! #parexelwithheart So, own your Crohn’s, own your chronic illness, and spread love, light and hope to your community by considering clinical trials in your care. Originally published via Parexel on 5/28/2019:…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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

    April 18, 2021

    My Health Became My Top Priority

    April 16, 2019

    OYC Trailblazers: Celebrating Melissa’s J-Pouch-versary

    February 25, 2019
  • 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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    My Feature for Clinical Trial Awareness with Parexel

    June 1, 2019

    My Pelvic Pain Story

    October 26, 2018

    University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

    September 7, 2020
  • advocacy,  awareness,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  Holiday Season,  living with IBD,  Traveling with IBD,  Ulcerative Colitis

    The Value of Awareness & Advocacy During the Holidays

    December 21, 2018

    The holiday season is a wonderful time to celebrate all the blessings in our lives. It is a time to reflect on a year that has passed and our resolutions for the upcoming new year. But it is also a time that can be difficult for many of us with chronic illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). And this is where the importance of awareness and advocacy of our conditions come into the picture. As joyous of a time that the holidays are, many of us struggle to keep up with the shopping, the eating, the drinking, the travel and all the social merriment of the holiday season. Oftentimes,…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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

    December 27, 2019

    Sophia’s Chronic Illness Journey: Forced Switching to Biosimilars in Canada

    December 15, 2019

    Real Talk About Fistulae

    January 19, 2019
  • advocacy,  awareness,  coping with flares,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ostomy,  stigma,  Ulcerative Colitis

    6 Myths About IBD in Minority Patients, Busted

    December 20, 2018

    Here are the most common misconceptions surrounding Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis in minority populations. By Brianna Majsiak Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis (UC) are not easy conditions to talk about. But an even rarer topic of conversation is how minority patients are affected by these chronic and debilitating diseases. Although IBD has predominantly affected whites in the past, a study published in August 2016 in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Disease found an increase in the rate of IBD in minority groups in the United States over the past two decades. “Patients may be reluctant to identify as having ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, so our current numbers may really underrepresent these minority groups,”…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

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    In the Name of Science & Research

    June 25, 2019

    The Value of Support Groups

    August 26, 2018

    A Gutsy Feeling: Advocating for the Best Care Possible as IBD Patients

    September 18, 2021
  • awareness,  caregivers,  Crohn's,  living with IBD,  Ulcerative Colitis

    Caregivers: The Greatest Blessing of All

    December 7, 2018

    As we wrap up Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week, I reflect on the greatest blessing of all in my IBD journey: my caregivers, my dear mother and husband. From the constant rides into the city for doctors’ visits to packing wounds and changing PICC line dressings while helping me walk and shower after surgery, Mom, you picked me up when I was at my lowest points in life. From driving me to Cleveland Clinic and flying me to Mayo Clinic for surgery while spending countless sleepless nights in the hospital, Anand, you stood by my side when society told you you could have done better. Many of our IBD journeys…

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    Tina Aswani Omprakash

    Related Posts

    When Diagnoses Accumulate: My Gastroparesis Story

    August 29, 2019

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

    September 24, 2018

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

    June 20, 2020

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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