IBD Success Stories Virtual Event

Sydney Morgan

Social Media Influencer

Hi, I'm Sydney Morgan. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in August of 2018 when I was 16 years old. Throughout the next year I was trying every oral and infusion medication possible to get into remission, but ultimately ended up getting a total colectomy in October of 2019 which resulted in an ostomy bag. I had 2 more surgeries to form a j-pouch and got my ostomy reversed in September of 2020. I am now a social media Influencer and I hope to use my platform to raise awareness and educate people on IBD.

Ryan Van Voorhis

Former Licensed Clinical Social Worker/ Private Chef

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in high school, and after years of failed treatment, in order to regain some quality of life, I had my colon permanently removed. Although not an easy decision, I’ve now lived with my Crohn’s Disease and ostomy for over 20 years and I’ve never let it stop me once. Due to my extensive battle with Crohn’s Disease and immeasurable help I had by health professionals throughout my treatment, I decided to pursue a career in social work and therapy to give back to others.

Flash forward 13 years later, I was burned out physically and mentally from social work, to the point that I made a total career change. Enter the culinary world! I learned to cook the basics at an early age from my parents, and once I was diagnosed with Crohn’s, health and wellness became much more important to me. Cooking healthy yet flavorful meals was something I became very passionate about in my adult life. Not only did cooking healthy meals improve my Crohn’s, it also improved my mental health by serving as a creative outlet during my career as a social worker. Currently, I am the co-founder and chef of Nude Dude Food, a private chef business which cooks fresh, seasonal, locally sourced food for various types of events and celebratory occasions in Chicago and around the country.

Nicole Glenn, MD

Pediatrician

Hello! My name is Dr. Nicole Glenn and I grew up in the Bay Area. I am the mother of two amazing kids, a 4-year-old daughter and 18-month-old son. When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. My experience growing up with IBD played a huge role in my decision to become a pediatrician and care for children today! I received my bachelor’s degree in integrative physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder and attended medical school at Rush University. I completed my pediatric residency at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Today I practice general pediatrics with Palo Alto Medical Foundation in Dublin and I have an interest in caring for disabled and special needs children.

Dylan Cook

Hello all, my name is Dylan Cook. I am 27 years old and currently live in Phoenix, AZ. I grew up in the Bay Area and moved to Phoenix last year. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s when I was 15 years old. I am an ex-professional baseball player and played a season with the Dodgers in their minor league system. I currently work as a paramedic and am in school to become a physician assistant.

Nathalie Garcia

My name is Nathalie, and I am a first-generation undergraduate at Stanford University. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2018 and have lived with the ups and downs of this disease since. Currently, I am a fellow for Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network and an IBD ambassador for Lyfebulb, where I share my experiences with IBD and managing my mental health with a chronic illness. I am deeply passionate about patient advocacy, which is why I am a patient advocate and Spanish interpreter at Cardinal Free Clinics. I hope to spread awareness about the complexities of IBD and guide others through overcoming the adversities of their illness by pursuing a career in health care.

Alice Ping

I am a professional classical musician living in Los Angeles and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2019. With an avid freelancing career ranging from session work in the film and television industry to teaching to performing and volunteering on skid row, my “job” is never boring! Though my diseases have impacted my life in more ways than one, I have become passionate about educating others on the often-debilitating nature of IBD and other invisible illnesses, and hope to continue bringing awareness to these conditions through my social media presence and YouTube channel, Chronically Musical.

Brie Brullo

Hi everyone! My name is Brie and I’m from Corona, CA. I graduated from the University of Redlands in 2019 and shortly thereafter interned at Walt Disney World for eight months until the pandemic hit. I was 16 when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and have been a camp counselor with Camp Oasis for the past two years, volunteering with children and teenagers who have IBD. I studied abroad three times in college and absolutely love traveling and learning about new cultures and languages and hope to pursue a career in international education.