Thread by @EdelblumLab

Today marks 20 yrs of #remission from #Crohns. For some #IBD patients, remission feels like an elusive thing. I get it, I’ve had my share of time in the #ICU. I’m extremely fortunate that #Remicade has worked this long. Many people must switch meds to find a lasting solution. 1/n

The last 20 yrs haven’t come w/o complications. A sustained high quality of life was worth the trade offs that come with #biologics. I lived with recurrent infections and a #cancer diagnosis. Was it challenging? Yes. Was it better than living with flares? Absolutely. 2/n

There isn’t a day that I don’t think of those that weren’t as lucky. Alex Davidson, Ty Redler, Lacey Conners and Lindsey D’Ercole were younger than me and have since passed from IBD complications. In spite of some survivor’s guilt, I do my best to keep their memory alive.💜 3/n

I recently had the opportunity to participate a meeting with other scientists that I have often viewed as “game changers” in IBD. Someone jokingly said, “we have an hour to solve IBD,” I laughed in response, but it’s mostly joy because I get to be #intheroomwhereithappens.👩‍🔬4/n

Without the work of so many #physicians and #scientists in the field @IBDCures, including my own #GIs that have told me that their job is to just not “screw” it [remission] up @IBDMD and Tom Ullman, I wouldn’t be here to be a part of these conversations. 5/n

I can push for new strategies to maintain remission w/o immune suppression. I can mentor the talented individuals in my lab that will go on and make their own lasting impacts. I can do my part to empower other young adults with IBD to realize that their dreams are attainable. 6/n

Thanks to everyone that has been on this journey with me so far. Here’s to another 20 years! 🎉

To clarify, infection + early cancer diagnosis (random & unlucky) was likely due to 15 yrs of immunosuppressants + #biologics. The last 5 years have been infection & cancer-free! I also knowingly made the choice to stay on combo therapy because I didn’t want to rock the ⛵️