Emily DuBois
3494
VOTES
Emily is a young colleg-aged woman of 20 who has faced mighty health struggles over the past two years, but has faced them head-on and turned the negatives into positives.
Emily was diagnosed at age 16 with ulcerative colitis. This chronic digestive disease was initially treated and responded to medication. However at age 18, upon entering her freshman year of college, her life was changed forever. Severe symptoms appeared and incapacitated her resulting in her leaving her beloved, Regis University in Denver, back home to St. Louis where she was immediately hospitalized. After a 50 day hospital stay that resulted in two surgeries and the removal of most of her colon, she tried to start her life anew. However, the rest of her colon and digestive tract had other things in mind, and ultimately it took a total of six surgeries over a 17 month period for her health to stablize and improve to the point where she has been able to return to college in Denver at Regis University this Fall.
While Emily battled her health issues, she became connected to an organization in St. Louis - the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, which helped her to understand her disease and to provide her with inspiration to help others who are also afflicted with these chronic digestive diseases - particularly children and young adults.
To that end, Emily became involved in the CCFA's Take Steps Walk in 2008 and 2009 by organizing a team that resulted in her team raising significant funds for research for a cure. Besides raising funds for the walk, Emily also served on the walk committee. But Emily's involvement did not end there with helping others who struggled with Chrohn's and colitis.....she volunteered in the office as an intern in between her surgeries. Emily also was selected to serve on the CCFA's national youth leadership council which includes a select group of college-aged students across the country who are committed and passionate to bring education and awareness to colleged-aged students across the country about these chronic, dehabilitating digestive diseases.
Besides serving and volunteering so passionately at the Crohn's and Colitis-Mid America chapter here in St. Louis, she also visited young patients at St. Luke's Hospital who were facing the same surgery that she had from ulcerative colitis. She provided them with hope and inspiration and comfort. Additionally, she has been making "hug fleece blankets" for the pediatric unit at St.Luke's Hospital for the past 18 months to provide comfort to all of the young patients in the pediatric unit. Emily was inspired to do this as a result of her 50 day hospitalization at this pediatric unit and in recognition of all of the compassionate techs, nurses and doctors who took care of her during this challenging period of her life.
Emily is an inspiration to me and many others. She is committed and passionate to serve others and to give back to the community who supported her during a difficult period in her life. Thus, I am proud to nominate Emily DuBois as a Star.
Emily was diagnosed at age 16 with ulcerative colitis. This chronic digestive disease was initially treated and responded to medication. However at age 18, upon entering her freshman year of college, her life was changed forever. Severe symptoms appeared and incapacitated her resulting in her leaving her beloved, Regis University in Denver, back home to St. Louis where she was immediately hospitalized. After a 50 day hospital stay that resulted in two surgeries and the removal of most of her colon, she tried to start her life anew. However, the rest of her colon and digestive tract had other things in mind, and ultimately it took a total of six surgeries over a 17 month period for her health to stablize and improve to the point where she has been able to return to college in Denver at Regis University this Fall.
While Emily battled her health issues, she became connected to an organization in St. Louis - the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, which helped her to understand her disease and to provide her with inspiration to help others who are also afflicted with these chronic digestive diseases - particularly children and young adults.
To that end, Emily became involved in the CCFA's Take Steps Walk in 2008 and 2009 by organizing a team that resulted in her team raising significant funds for research for a cure. Besides raising funds for the walk, Emily also served on the walk committee. But Emily's involvement did not end there with helping others who struggled with Chrohn's and colitis.....she volunteered in the office as an intern in between her surgeries. Emily also was selected to serve on the CCFA's national youth leadership council which includes a select group of college-aged students across the country who are committed and passionate to bring education and awareness to colleged-aged students across the country about these chronic, dehabilitating digestive diseases.
Besides serving and volunteering so passionately at the Crohn's and Colitis-Mid America chapter here in St. Louis, she also visited young patients at St. Luke's Hospital who were facing the same surgery that she had from ulcerative colitis. She provided them with hope and inspiration and comfort. Additionally, she has been making "hug fleece blankets" for the pediatric unit at St.Luke's Hospital for the past 18 months to provide comfort to all of the young patients in the pediatric unit. Emily was inspired to do this as a result of her 50 day hospitalization at this pediatric unit and in recognition of all of the compassionate techs, nurses and doctors who took care of her during this challenging period of her life.
Emily is an inspiration to me and many others. She is committed and passionate to serve others and to give back to the community who supported her during a difficult period in her life. Thus, I am proud to nominate Emily DuBois as a Star.
Supported charity:
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America