Honorees

 Callie Dew

In 2017 I started a journey that I did not want or ask for. Though it was not wanted or asked for it is now part of who I am and part of the blessing of life. It was 5 years ago laying in an ER bed after a CT scan I was told I had inflammation and a colonoscopy was going to be needed for the next morning. It was over the course of one night I went from not ever knowing what Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis was, to having to live with ulcerative colitis for the rest of my life. 

I was a young woman in my mid-twenties in love with my husband and ready for a family. It was in that hospital bed where I thought that might all be lost to a disease I didn’t even know existed 24 hours ago. When I was told I would live with this my entire life my first question wasn’t, “how do I manage it,” it was, “can I still have kids and when?” When basic medication didn’t work and I had to start advance therapy I didn’t ask what side effects I might experience, it was again if I can still try for a family. 

The day I met with my new gastroenterologist for the first time after being home from the hospital we sat down and planned to taper off the steroids and get into remission. I was diagnosed in July 2017, hospitalized for almost an entire month put on biologic medication in August, tapered off a high dose of steroids through October, and did another colonoscopy in November. My colon looked good and my husband I were given a green light. By January 2018 we were amazed to discover we were lucky enough to see our first positive line on a pregnancy test. I spent the next nine months in a cloud of happiness, delighted to meet my baby boy. It was if all the pain of my diagnosis was forgotten. 

It wasn’t until December 2019 that I was reminded of the control this disease will have over my life.  I was pregnant with my second child and scared of a flare. After talking to both my OBGYN and gastroenterologist, we decided it was safe and the best choice to do a colonoscopy to determine if interventions were needed. It was discovered that I had mild inflammation in my rectum. Thankfully, we tried a simple suppository rather than a new biologic drug. After getting out of my first trimester, things went much smoother and, in July we welcomed our second child—a beautiful healthy baby girl.

When our daughter was 9 months old we were blessed a third time with that positive pregnancy test. This time I had to deal with changes to my current therapy due to health insurance declining my current therapy. I had been afraid of having to switch from a drug that had been working to try a new formula. The drug was considered biologically similar, but that didn’t stop my anxiety. I realized how much insurance companies control our health and what decisions we can make for our own health. In the end, I managed to stay in remission and welcomed my third child in February 2022, another beautiful daughter. 

It was three kids age three 3 and under. Though my journey is far from over and I still have plenty of fights for my health, I am blessed by the ability to live a time where such drug therapy is available. I know my future still has a lot more stress to face around drug therapy and options I may have to choose for myself one day. I’m happy to be an example to other young women and men who want to start a family to see that even though it might not be perfect or seamless, with the help of a good health care team that you trust and the support of your family, you don’t have to allow your disease to be the reason for not having children of your own. 

It's hard to share a success story about having children when 1 in 5 women struggle with infertility. I wanted to share that this disease doesn’t have to be what holds you back. Everyone’s story is different, and this disease does not affect everyone equally. It’s sharing these stories together that we hope to help at least that one person to feel heard and understood. 

I have happily been participating in the Take Steps walks and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation since 2019. The work they do is so important from funding research and developing new therapies and hopefully a cure one day, to the work they do with young children who struggle with this disease, their endless help to provide resources to patients, providers, and supporters on all aspects associated with this disease. I truly believe they are a blessing to my community and that if a cure is to be found it will be backed by the foundation.  

Liam Brady

Liam was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at just 8 years old. His diagnosis came after he began having severe joint pain in his legs, skin lesions, mouth sores so bad he wouldn't eat, which quickly resulted in weight loss. Our family had no history of this disease and was completely taken off guard. With a quick treatment plan put in place he got a bit better for a couple years until 2022 hit. Despite continued medication dosage increases, steroid treatments, and multiple diet plans he had lost almost 20 pounds by fall. Covid ended up being the last straw and put Liam in the hospital with 25+ bathroom trips daily, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and one of the worst qualities of life an 11-year-old should ever have to experience. October brought him 6 weeks of progressively worsening symptoms during his hospital stay at Primary Children’s Hospital. After almost 9 months of fighting a losing battle with this awful disease his doctors finally convinced mom and dad his colon needed to be removed to save him. He fought so hard to recover from surgery and IT WAS HARD!!! He is such a fighter!!! I can’t stress how difficult this time was on our family. He went back to school with an ostomy bag in December and now struggles with a different set of challenges but is STILL FIGHTING!!!