IBDesis
IBDesis (pronounced IBD Deh-sees) is a platform dedicated to uniting & empowering South Asians living with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s & ulcerative colitis) around the globe.
IBDesis’ mission is to minimize the cultural stigma and normalize IBD diagnosis, treatment and/or surgery. Despite the growing incidence of IBD in the South Asian community, we remain mired in stigma and cultural taboos best encapsulated in the Log Kya Kahenge (What Are People Going to Say?) rhetoric. This leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment as well as mental health challenges around coping with this largely invisible illness. Team IBDesis aims to shatter this stigma and provide the support necessary for patients and caregivers to live fuller lives in spite of the debilitating intersections of culture and disease.
In pursuing these goals, IBDesis has joined hands with gastroenterologists, IBD nurses, GI dieticians, GI pharmacists and GI psychologists of South Asian origin to form the South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA). IBDesis is now an integral part of the Patient Outreach and Advocacy Committee of SAIA and is the patient advocacy arm of SAIA.
Meet Team IBDesis
Tina Aswani-Omprakash
Patient Advocate
Crohn’s Disease
Madhura Balasubramaniam
Lead Patient Advocate (India)
Crohn’s Disease
Sharan Khela
Lead Patient Advocate (UK)
Crohn’s Disease and Former Ostomate
Basmah Ali
Patient Advocate, Crohn’s Disease
Patient Education Coordinator
Nour Al-Timimi
Patient Advocate, Ulcerative Colitis
Content Coordinator
Rohit Aita
Patient Advocate, Crohn’s Disease
Patient Education Coordinator
Ashley Patel
Patient Advocate, Crohn’s Disease
Maitreyee Kshirsagar
Patient Advocate, Ulcerative Colitis
Join Us on Social Media
Check out our social media channels: @ibdesis
Join our IBDesis Community Private Facebook Group
For more updates from Team IBDesis, check out our Beacons page.