Crohn's & Colitis Foundation - DMV Chapter

02/14/2026

We 💙 our Take Steps participants, and we’d love for you to be part of our community this year. Grab someone you care about and join us for a Take Steps walk near you—every step shows support for people living with IBD. For more information, click the link: https://bit.ly/4ai2QuO

02/14/2026

Older adults (ages 60+) are the fastest-growing group of people living with IBD. From managing other health conditions to adjusting medications and routines, our new resource page offers tips and tools to help you feel confident, supported, and equipped to live well every day. Explore it here: https://bit.ly/4bMLBCW

02/09/2026

For Black History Month, Foundation social media ambassador and personal trainer Joel Nixon opens up about what this month means to him and why visibility matters for the Black/African American IBD community. Living with Crohn’s disease since 2016 and an ostomy, he is challenging stigma and reminding others they are not alone.

02/09/2026

Meet Eli Kromirs:
Two weeks into the COVID lockdown in March 2020, Eli entered his first flare. At just four years old, he didn’t yet have the vocabulary to explain what he was feeling—and after living with pain for so long, he didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal. By April 2020, Eli was admitted for his first hospitalization, the only way to access the tests needed to understand what was happening in his body. On his fifth birthday, he underwent his first colonoscopy and was diagnosed with Very Early Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease (VEO-IBD).

The following six months were marked by an exhausting search for the right medical team and treatment plan. That journey included an ambulance transfer from a hospital in Washington, D.C. to another in Philadelphia, where an incredible VEO-IBD care team helped set Eli on the road to recovery. It would take another year of hospitalizations, testing, and trial and error to fully address his remaining symptoms.

Slowly but surely, Eli no longer required blood and iron transfusions. He was able to return to school and reclaim his childhood. Today, Eli is a thriving fifth grader living a mostly typical life—one that just happens to include regular infusions to keep his body healthy.

For the past three summers, Eli has been one of the youngest campers at Camp Oasis in West Virginia. Beyond creating joyful sleepaway camp memories, the experience has shown him that he is not alone in living with IBD. Eli has grown into a strong self-advocate, learning to listen closely to his body. Knowing he was surrounded by adults who truly understand IBD provided his parents with invaluable peace of mind—and much-needed respite.

Eli’s mother, Melanie, also found support through the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Parent Support Groups. Connecting with fellow parents navigating similar challenges has been an essential source of strength, understanding, and shared knowledge.

Thanks to the ongoing research, advocacy, and community support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, there has never been more reason for optimism for those living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

02/09/2026

A Foundation–funded study published today in Gastroenterology found that time‑restricted eating—a form of intermittent fasting—reduced Crohn’s disease activity by 40% and cut inflammation by half. This research suggests that changing when we eat, not just what we eat, can help the immune system work better and support long-term remission from Crohn’s disease. Read more:
https://bit.ly/4qZd1Kr

02/07/2026

Join us for a live, patient-centered symposium bringing you key highlights from the 2026 Crohn’s & Colitis Congress®—the premier annual conference for IBD professionals. Hear directly from Congress patient reporters and Foundation social media ambassadors Ian Goldstein and Victoria Tyler, alongside IBD experts Noa Krugliak Cleveland, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago, and Adam Faye, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Medicine & Population Health, NYU School of Medicine. View the agenda and register here: https://bit.ly/49XkJic

📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026
⏰ 8–9 p.m. ET

This program is presented in partnership with the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), patients, and leaders in IBD care.

02/07/2026

Good news for everyone living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: Proposed cuts to federal medical research funding were stopped! This means continued progress toward better treatments and cures for IBD—and even new momentum to expand awareness, education, and access to care for kids.

Hear from Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation President & CEO Michael Osso about what this victory means for the IBD community and join our advocacy network to keep the momentum going: https://bit.ly/4r3PRTt

02/04/2026

We’re celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day with Cass Bargell—Data Analyst at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and USA Rugby player living with ulcerative colitis and an ostomy. Hear how sports have helped Cass navigate her disease, lean on her teammates as a powerful support system, and build confidence on and off the pitch.

02/03/2026

A new Foundation survey found 93% of the IBD community would want a test to predict their or their family’s chances of developing Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The study, published today in Crohn’s & Colitis 360, shows strong interest in prevention strategies, especially lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to reduce risk or delay IBD. Read more to see what this could mean for the future of predicting and preventing IBD: https://bit.ly/49VRsod

02/02/2026

☀️ Camp Oasis 2026 applications are now OPEN!

Our life-changing camp exclusively for kids and teens living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis returns to 10 locations nationwide, plus a virtual option. After an unforgettable 20th Anniversary season, we are excited to keep the celebration going this summer, filled with fun, friendship, adventure, and community.🎉

Applications are live for both campers and adult patient & medical staff volunteers. Join us for an experience beyond treatment plans—find all the details about Camp Oasis 2026 and start your application today: 🔗 https://bit.ly/3SYWxDD

02/01/2026

Happy ! During February, we will be highlighting insights and experiences from members of the Black/African American IBD community. Check back throughout the month to hear their stories.

Learn more about our resources and research initiatives, including:
-Our CDC grant with the University of Alabama at Birmingham to improve access to care for Black/African American IBD patients.
-Our Facebook community group for Black/African American IBD patients.
-Our new Virtual Support Group for Black/African American Women.
-MyIBD Connections for the Black/African American events (programs will be added here: https://bit.ly/3EktQMJ)

01/28/2026

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often need colonoscopies and other endoscopic procedures, and it can be stressful not knowing exactly what to expect. Watch this video with gastroenterologist Shannon Chang, MD, Director of Clinical Operations at NYU Langone’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center and member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s National Scientific Advisory Committee (NSAC), as she walks through different endoscopy types (including colonoscopies), bowel prep tips, and what happens before and after your procedure. https://bit.ly/3NB6yH0

Endoscopies play an important role in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in establishing diagnoses, determining between C...