Oprah's Big Give

Dear Oprah,

I am 14 years old. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was 9. Usually, Crohn's is inflammation in the intestines causing abdominal pain and diarrhea. However, I have disease in my bones, joints, trachea and bladder as well as in my intestines. There is no cure for Crohn's and it significantly increases the chances of getting colon cancer. My 12 year old brother also has the disease.

I have been on steroids many times to treat my disease. Last year, I was hospitalized twice and I missed a month of school. Instead of using steroids again, my doctor gave me the option of going on a liquid formula diet designed for people with Crohn's. I did well for a while, but I am having difficulties transitioning back to food. The formula has been my only source of nutrition for most of the past year.

My mission is to educate and spread awareness about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) so that it can be better understood by children, teens and adults. I am very involved with the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). I am the Youth Ambassador for the CCFA. Once people understand what the disease involves, the public will be more willing to help. Some of the things I have done to accomplish my mission include the following:

• I lobbied and testified before a Senate subcommittee to pass the Restroom Access Act in Minnesota. (It was made a law in August 2007)
• I have lobbied in DC to increase funding for IBD research.
• I have shared my story at numerous CCFA fundraisers to help spread awareness and raise research dollars to help find a cure.
• I have submitted essays to teen literary magazines about Crohn's disease.
• I appeared on the local TV news and in the St.Paul newspaper telling my story and promoting Crohn's awareness.
• I have created a fundraiser, Project CURE (Communication, Understanding, Respect, Education). I make bracelets and sell them to raise money for Camp Oasis, a camp for kids with IBD.

If you did a segment on IBD it would help spread awareness significantly and would ultimately help more people to understand the disease. It is the first step in finding a cure.


Thank you far taking time to learn about my story. I hope you can help me teach more people about IBD.

Best Wishes.

Laurel Schwartz

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Oprah
• Crohn's
• Disease
• Oprah's
• Big
• give

[sassyxoerin]

i am erin and i am 10 and i was diagnosed with crohn's 5 months ago i am going to camp in new york and i am meeting more people with it i thought i was the only one with it for a while now i no im not alone

[laureljaclyn]

I am sorry to hear about your Crohn's! Camp is a really great way to meet other people that have it. I was diagnosed when I was 9 and it took my parents 4 years to convince me to go. Good for you for being able to go right away! I hope you like it!

Laurel

[srugal8504]

i have crohn's and celiac. it gives a different light on life. yes it is a nightmare at times, but somewhere over the rainbow is happiness.

[laureljaclyn]

I am glad to find that so many people are able to see all of the good times greatly outweigh the bad. When ever anyone is having a bad day they just have to look at a person like you and see how positive your attitude is in order for them to feel better. I hope you know that you are helping someone each day just because of your amazing outlook on life!

Keep it up!

Laurel

[GSRGOPEDRIDER247]

my sis has this

[laureljaclyn]

I'm sorry to hear that... :(

[marissa97amy]

hi, im 13, i was diagnosed allmost a year ago with crohns, i had it for about 2 years undiagnosed, i had lost alot of weight, & every1 thought i had an eating disorder which really made me qeustion myself, i have one of the most severist cases my gi has every seen, in a child or adult. i have taken all of the differnt kinds of medicines, & they havent wokred or im allergic, im currently on humera & its working well!!!, i hope u & every1 who commetned can raise awarens about crohns !

- marissa

[Dimplezz226]

hi my name is leah && i just got diagnosed with crohn's 5 months it has taken the, about a year just to relize that i had it but still they have not putt me on any meds i honestly dont no what my next step in life with this is or what on down the road but i would love to qo to one of these camps bc i had no clue that soo many ppl had this i thoght it was somthinq not alot of ppl had but i also didnt no they had camp but that vid mad me cry it was so amazinq qood job && keep it uhp god bles you

[jOeCoOL9111]

i just got diginosed yesterday and it took them a year to diginose me ive been to 20 some odd doctors before some one figured it.

[myrnarocks]

keep up the great work! and god bless you. i had a friend who had crohn's and i think what you are doing is amazing.

[basketballfan300]

hi i have crones too, i just turned 12 and i have had it since second grade. lately i just got surgery from it, and i havent been doing that well. i wish i was a lucky as you. i am jewish and for my bat mizva project i am raising money for the camp that helps crones and colitice too. i hope that sooner or later they find a cure. i admire you soo much, and i hope that you stay healthy.

[PENWESTERN]

Thank you! You bring so much beauty and energy to the crohns cause.

I have had crohns since 1999 and am currently recovering from a flare up right now.

Keep up your good work for crohns awareness.

Most people have no understanding. Even those of us with CD often are surprised by this mysterious disease. For me it is very unpredictable.

Thank you and God Bless!

[hilariepse]

inspiring.i was diagnosed with it too...at age 16 and now my life has took a different path...i was on every drug, i got my colon removed..and gone through 4 surgeries..i want to know if i can start a crohns awareness where i live and raise money to find the cure!!!! i live in Hawaii and this song itself made me inspired even more....what can i do to help?

[superstarz711]

I have crohn's too! i was just diagnosed this past week. I will be on steroids for 3 months so i don't have to have it for too long! I'm pretty skinny, (78lbs and 4 7") I really want to go to camp oasis in PA. (I don't live in PA) And I don't wanna get picked on from the steroids! If anyone wants to talk about it they can send me a message!

~Ali

[meenky2]

my mother and husband both are living with crohn's. some days are good some are bad. my husband just started humeria. i to wish oprah would do a show on crohn's. most of my friends have no clue what it was when i told them that he was having problems with it. good luck, maybe all our voices together can be heard someday. i have 3 small children and worry daily if they will develop this horriable disease as well. happy holidays!

[LindsayAndTaylorShow]

i have crohnss too!! i got diagnosed last year and was in the hospital for 5 weeks. i was on prednisone and my face got soo chubby. it helped turn my life around though because now i am really healthy and i do so many sports to stay in shape. im also going to ccfa this coming summer to meet other ppl.