My Crohn’s Disease Fund

Hello! I was diagnosed with moderate/severe/aggressive stricturing Crohn’s Disease of the small intestine in April 2022.

My dad, who died in 2015, had severe Crohn’s disease which contributed to his death and decline in health the last few years of his life. Getting diagnosed with Crohn’s was one of my biggest fears after watching my dad go through life suffering from his Crohn’s. Now, my biggest fear is my reality and it’s only just the beginning.

I have already failed one biologic treatment (infliximab) and azithioprine. Most recently I’ve tried Entyvio (vedolizumab) infusions which appear to not be working well due to a hospitalization I had in April 2023 for a partial small bowel obstruction. I’ve been on and off of prednisone to help control the inflammation. Currently I am starting Stelara (ustekinumab) self injections to hopefully decrease inflammation.

My gastroenterologist has said that I may need a surgery in the near future - likely a laparoscopic ileocecal resection/anastomosis. That surgery will keep me out of work for at least 3-4 weeks while I am recovering and I cannot afford to miss my paychecks. I am one of the lucky Americans that can afford to have health insurance vu my employer—so the surgery itself isn’t a major issue…. but the cost of living without working will be an issue during my recovery.

I have been trying to follow a partial elemental/enteral diet which means purchasing sole nutrition formula (Kate Farms) that is NOT covered by my insurance and gets expensive. Some of the fund donated to me would go toward the costs of my Crohn’s treatment (medical food, supplements, vitamins, osmotic laxative, etc) that are not covered by my insurance and to help me meet my deductible and out of pocket for the year.

I appreciate any and all monetary support that you can offer to me to help me in this journey of a lifetime. There is no cure for Crohn’s. This is my life now, and the last thing I want to worry about is having a place to live, money to buy dog food for my two dogs, or the additional stress of finances while trying to achieve remission from this disease.