Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease
It's important for teens with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease to know they're not alone. At www.ucandcrohns.org, Starlight and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America offer teens a place to learn about their illness and connect with other IBD-diagnosed teens who know what they're going through.
Interactive UC and Crohn's website sections include:
- Resources - Learn why good nutrition and fitness is important. Discover how to communicate better with doctors. Find out where to get more information about IBD.
- My Story - Sometimes, living with UC and Crohn's means talking about it. Teens can submit their videos and stories about the ups and downs of their own day-to-day IBD journey, and see what others have sent in about their experiences.
- Tips and Tidbits - A wealth of IBD survival skills: how to handle long school absences, telling friends about your condition, what makes a medical procedure more bearable, stress management tools, and more practical wisdom from other teens who've been there.
- Ask an Expert - Maybe only a doctor has the answers you need. View the Q&A about everything from meds and procedures to foods, fitness and lifestyle...or ask your own questions.
“I showed this website to my friend who was just diagnosed with Crohn’s about four days ago and called me freaking out about it. He told me that it was helpful to read because it helped him to understand what he was going to be dealing with and some of the things that he should expect in the next few months,” says one site visitor.
In addition to serving as a great resource, www.ucandcrohns.org allows teens to connect through a private, moderated online community where they can "celebrate and commiserate" whether they need to vent, ask advice or provide support for other members. The interactive website aims to inform, motivate, entertain and encourage!