I’m Noa Figlin, founder of Life with IBD, and I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the winter of my 9th grade year, 2020. I vividly remember the way my heart dropped when I was first given the news. A couple of words had the ability to change my entire life: “You have Crohn’s disease.”

Being told that you have a chronic disease at the age of fourteen is a hard truth. I was distraught, and I began searching for possible causes or reasons for my condition; they didn’t exist. I was confused about the details and the definition of my disease, and muddled by the impact it may have on my future. Many of my questions were left unanswered, and this left me unable to advocate for myself in various treatment plans. This is what began my research. 

In 2021, I wrote a research paper on the disparities that exist in healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community. Also that year, I created a podcast — Deal With It — to discuss my personal experiences as an individual living with Crohn’s disease. 

In 2022, I began a research paper on the comorbidity of eating disorders and Crohn’s and/or Ulcerative Colitis. I am researching whether dieting as management for Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis enhances the probability of developing an eating disorder. As of now, there is no research on the topic. I am in the process of changing that.

In 2023, I brought my advocacy home and founded Life with IBD, so that other teenagers with Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis can become educated on the diseases, advocate for themselves, and discover support systems.