We hope the holiday season has been filled with love, joy, happiness and health for you. Thank you for your endless support and encouragement, kind words and feedback and interest in not only my patient journey, but also the well-being of my family. Whether we’ve connected on social media, through Lights, Camera, Crohn’s, by email or collaborations, I feel so grateful to have this platform to share my experience living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease every week of the year. You inspire me to be vulnerable. You inspire me to be strong.

I write and advocate in hopes of being the voice I so desperately needed when I was given a lifelong chronic illness diagnosis at age 21. Being able to lean on the IBD family virtually and in person is the gift that keeps on giving. We can all serve as a wonderful resource for one another, not only during difficult days, but also when we’re feeling on top of the world.

I hope you take this week to enjoy time with loved ones, relax and find time to care for yourself!

If we haven’t already—let’s connect on social media:

Instagram: @natalieannhayden

Twitter: @nataliesparacio

Facebook: Natalie A. Sparacio

Cheers,

Natalie