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me+ Community Stories

Meet Walt Brilhart

"Inspired by stories of others living with an ostomy, Walt Brilhart had dedicated his life to sharing the message of hope and faith. A life-long educator, Walt Brilhart has always taken care of others – as a teacher, principal, executive director and associate superintendent of Frederick County Public Schools. When he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 38"

me+ Community Stories

Meet Jearlean Taylor

As an accomplished fashion model—and a double ostomate—she’s spent nearly 20 years camouflaging her pouches from the camera. That was easy, she says, compared to hiding the hurt and embarrassment she felt as a young child who was very different from all her friends.

me+ Community Stories

Meet Ted Vosk

Homeless for the better part of four years as a teenager, Ted Vosk developed ulcerative colitis while living on the streets. He eventually fought his way off the streets and into Eastern Michigan University where he was named a Goldwater Scholar, graduating with honors in theoretical physics and mathematics.

me+ Community Stories

Meet Sarah Biggart

A woman’s first wedding anniversary should be a special time. For me, it signaled a journey that began with symptoms I blamed on food I ate while traveling and ended with an ileostomy.

me+ Community Stories

Meet Rob Hill

Until 1994, Rob Hill had never been sick a day in his life. The 23-year-old amateur runner and adventurer, who completed his first marathon in the second grade, kept a rigorous training schedule. Then, wracked by debilitating diarrhea, cramping, and pain....

me+ Community Stories

Meet Valencia Hardaway

"I held two jobs, six days a week, and thought life couldn't get any better!" she exclaims when she reflects back to 1993 when she was co-owner of a hair salon in Atlanta and worked as a clerk at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before being diagnosed with IBD, Valencia was the picture of perfect health....

me+ Community Stories

Meet Dianne Hattaway

It's not easy to hear that you have stage-four colon cancer, and even harder to be told you're having stoma surgery on the very same day. But on April 22, 2014, that's exactly what happened to me...

me+ Community Stories

Meet Kent Cullen

Dr. Cullen was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1968, a few years after he became a board certified colon and rectal surgeon, and underwent ileostomy surgery in 1983. He was instrumental in establishing the first enterostomal therapy department in Santa Barbara, and hired the first ostomy (ET) nurse in the history of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.