Allison was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at age 7. After trying and failing several medications, she had surgery and needed an ostomy bag for almost 3 years to allow her intestines time to heal. Talking to another teen with Crohn's through the IBD mentoring program helped Allison through some of the toughest times. She's now a mentor, and her parents are involved in several groups devoted to supporting IBD patients and their families.