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Honorees

Everyone’s inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) journey is unique. At Take Steps, we want to honor your story. Honored Heroes share their stories to let other patients know they are not alone in this fight. That’s the Take Steps Effect.

Through their stories, Honorees raise awareness and funds to support the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s mission and commitment to creating a new future for people living with IBD and their families.

To nominate a Take Steps Honoree, please complete this form.

Father & Son Honorees

Rick Diaz

Hello, my name is Rick Diaz and I am 54 years old.

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 27 after what was initially thought to be appendicitis. When I woke up from surgery, I was told it wasn’t appendicitis but an obstruction that required an emergency resection. Once the pathology results came back, I was officially diagnosed with Crohn’s.

Looking back at my earlier years, I realized I had experienced symptoms—stomach pains and various attacks—that had gone undiagnosed for years.

My symptoms were often attributed to ulcers or just a bad stomach in general, but Crohn’s was never considered. Unfortunately, in the 1980s and even the 1990s, little was known about Crohn’s, and without any known family history, my pediatrician didn’t think to test for it.

When I first started treatment, I was prescribed large pills that had to be taken four times a day. As you can imagine, it was difficult to maintain—especially at 27 years old, after living a normal life, to suddenly being tied to medication. I eventually stopped taking the pills. Having had a resection, I felt great for many years and thought I didn’t need them.

About 12 years later, the attacks returned. I had an ER visit, and I vividly remember the attending physician being unsure how to treat me—I ended up coaching him on what I needed. After that, I started seeing a doctor again, who prescribed medication. I thought I was managing it well, but unfortunately, things had progressed further than I realized.

In 2015, the day after Halloween, I found myself back in the ER with another obstruction. This time, I needed surgery for a second resection. It was different this time—I had a 6-year-old son who saw his dad in a hospital bed for almost three weeks, recovering from a risky surgery complicated by anemia and malnutrition.

That was the past. Today, thanks to organizations like The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Take Steps, incredible doctors, and advances in treatment options, I’ve been in remission for over eight years. I eat healthier, exercise regularly, and live as positively as I can. The future is bright, and I’m grateful for the journey that brought me here.

Jake Diaz

My name is Jacob Diaz. I am 16 years old, a junior at Gulliver Prep, and a varsity baseball player. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 7. Like my father before my diagnosis, I experienced constant stomach aches, pain all over my body, and persistent fatigue. Luckily, my pediatrician noticed the signs and, knowing my family history, urged us to get additional testing and see Dr. Koutouby as our GI.

We visited Dr. Koutouby, but unfortunately, I had to be hospitalized before any testing could begin. The good thing about my hospital visit was that most of tests were able to be performed while at the hospital. The last remaining tests were the typical colonoscopy and endoscopy which confirmed on June 20, 2015, at the age of 7 that I had Crohn’s.

After my diagnosis, the journey began with a rocky start. Dr. Koutouby explained everything to us—the pros and cons— and even assisted us with getting a second opinion. We were lucky enough to go to Boston Childrens Hospital hoping for some different news but as we expected their opinions were exactly the same. I then started on some medication that most thought would fail, and it did.

On January 2nd, while driving back from Orlando after New Year’s with my family, I experienced severe stomach pains. The medication had failed, and I was hospitalized again. After additional testing, we decided by the end of that month to slowly begin my Remicade journey.

Remicade gradually helped me feel better. While I occasionally experience stomach aches, things have become much more controlled. Over the years, we’ve adjusted dosages and the timing between treatments, but Remicade has remained my constant to this day.

I am incredibly grateful for The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Through their support, I’ve attended Camp Oasis and connected with others like me. I appreciate the Foundation’s hard work and dedication to research for new treatments—and one day, hopefully, a cure—that will allow me to live a life with our medicine and treatments.

Pediatric Honoree

My name is Sawyer, and I’m 12 years old. I love soccer, robotics, and hanging out with my dog, Kona. But something else that’s a big part of my life? Crohn’s disease.

I was diagnosed when I was 9, but my symptoms started long before that. I was always exhausted, had stomach pain all the time, and wasn’t growing like my twin brother, Micah. My parents knew something wasn’t right, and after countless tests and doctor visits, my bloodwork came back showing that my numbers were off the charts and I had internal bleeding. That’s when I was admitted to the hospital for even more testing.

During my hospital stay, I met Dr. Koutouby, my incredible GI doctor. She took the time to explain everything to us and made sure we had the best care possible. She is kind and always talks to me directly instead of just to my parents. After a colonoscopy and endoscopy, we finally got the answer: Crohn’s disease.

At first, the treatments weren’t easy. I began Remicade, an IV infusion therapy that helps control my symptoms right away. This meant lots of hospital visits, which was overwhelming at first. But thanks to some amazing people—Nurse Stacy and Nurse Natalie from the IBD Infusion Clinic team and Nurse Roz from the Nicklaus IV Team—the process became a lot easier. They always made sure I was comfortable and answered all my questions.

Living with Crohn’s isn’t easy, but I’ve learned that staying positive helps a lot. One of the biggest ways I manage my Crohn’s is by following the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet. This means avoiding certain foods to help reduce inflammation and keep my symptoms under control. It’s not always easy, but I know it helps me feel better, and that makes it worth it.

The biggest thing that has helped me is being part of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Through the Foundation, I’ve learned how to advocate for myself, and most importantly, had the chance to raise awareness and help fund research for better treatments and, hopefully, a cure.

That’s why I started Strides for Sawyer. I want to make sure that no kid has to go through this alone. I want to raise money for research, awareness, and support for the foundation so that one day, kids like me won’t have to worry about Crohn’s anymore.

I’m incredibly honored to be the 2025 Take Steps Hero for the Miami Walk, and I hope you’ll join me on April 26, 2025, at Regatta Park. Together, we can make a difference—one step at a time!

Rising Star Honoree

Carolina Parr

Hi, everyone,

I’m Caro, and at just 10 years old, my world was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. It felt like a life sentence, and I couldn’t comprehend the journey ahead of me. As time went on, my health continued to decline. My life, once filled with school, friends, family and soccer, was now dominated by hospital visits and treatments.

Soccer, my escape, was the one thing that made me feel normal. But, as the disease took over, I had to give it up just to survive each day. By 14, Baptist Hospital had become my second home. While others lived carefree lives, I was locked in a cycle of pain and isolation, missing out on the moments that should have shaped my childhood. Then, during a colonoscopy to assess my colitis, I woke up and heard the words, “She has Crohns.” At first, my parents thought it was just the anesthesia playing tricks on me, but when the doctor confirmed it, I knew my fight had just gotten much harder.

For years, monthly IV treatments kept my conditions manageable, and I reached remission— something I once thought impossible. But eventually, my body rejected the treatment, and I fell out of remission. Now, alongside Crohn’s, I battle new autoimmune diseases, facing challenges everyday as I search for a solution. But through it all, my illness has given me a deeper sense of purpose. I’ve met countless children facing the same struggles, and I realized my calling — to help others feel less alone and find strength in their journey.