Rebecca Babcock

Rebecca Babcock, Irritable Bowel Disease

How would you explain Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) to a child?

It's normal for all kids to get bellyaches once in a while. But people with inflammatory bowel disease (or IBD) always get bad stomach pain and diarrhea.

It's a chronic condition, which means you can never be cured and it never goes away.

What would you want the world to know about IBD?

Not all disabilities are visible: While most IBD Warriors look "fine" on the outside, they are experiencing a very painful and debilitating disease you can't even see! And worse yet, there is such a stigma around our symptoms but we don't have to suffer in silence!

What does it feel like to live with IBD?

Life with IBD can be a rollercoaster of physical, emotional, social, and financial complications. It's a debilitating condition that causes diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss. But the social stigma, the challenges with social situations, relationships, body image, employment and more are very challenging.

What brings you joy?

Educating the world about IBD and being a proud IBD Warrior who has created a beautiful life for myself, living out loud in hopes that it allows others to feel the courage to do the same!