Project Purple

Advocating for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

- Est. 2016 -

How it Started

When I was four years old, my mother was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Since then, I have spent countless nights sleeping in the car in front of hospitals, going to tag along on doctor’s visits, watching my mom be bedridden, and so much more. At the age of nine, I realized most kids and adults alike had no clue what these diseases were, or how they affected people, and yet I was growing up with this as my normal. At nine, I started my CSI and undertook the task of informing others about Crohn’s and Colitis through my unique point of view as a caregiver, supporter, and daughter of a UC patient.

You Should Know

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis belong to a group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel diseases, or IBD. These disorders affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the area of the body where digestion takes place. The diseases cause inflammation of the intestine and lead to ongoing symptoms and complications. There is no known cause or cure for IBD, but fortunately there are many effective treatments to help control it. If medications fail to control the symptoms of IBD, or if certain complications occur, surgery may be required.

For women with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, it is important to understand how the events in a woman’s life can affect the course of their disease, and how their disease, in turn, can affect these milestones. Women with IBD may need to take their disease into consideration when making choices about puberty, intimacy, and pregnancy.

Approximately 1.4 million Americans are living with IBD.

Men and women are equally affected. Although IBD can occur at any age, most people are diagnosed in their teens or early twenties, and 5% of patients are children. Studies have shown that 5%-20% of people with IBD come from families where more than one person has the disease. IBD tends to be more common in developed countries, particularly the United States, Canada, and in Europe, but it is increasing worldwide.

IBD are chronic diseases that involve a genetic predisposition, an environmental trigger, an alteration in the composition of intestinal bacteria, and an inappropriate reaction from the immune system. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes, you can live a long, fulfilling life.

"At nine, I started Project Purple and undertook the task of informing others about Crohn’s and Colitis through my unique point of view as a caregiver, supporter, and daughter of a UC patient."