Living with IBD isn’t just about learning to cope with symptoms, manage a treatment plan or fend off family member’s fad diets. It’s sifting through an immense amount of literature, data and medical advice. Gut Feelings is a column to highlight the stories of IBD warriors and researchers, while bringing a bit of flair to IBD education.
UBC alumna Dr. Navjit Kaur Phulka was a driven student and now is a dedicated community member. She has acted as the president of Crohn's and Colitis Canada’s Fraser Valley East Chapter since 2017 and received the BC Medal of Good Citizenship for her work with the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) community.
But before these achievements, Phulka experienced setbacks familiar to many students living with IBD.
“I was in sciences, [and a] bit of a go-getter. [I] thought, ‘Okay, plan A for sure will work out. I'll finish my degree in four years. I'll get moving.’”
During her undergraduate studies, after battling symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis — a type of IBD characterized by inflammation and sores called ulcers in the colon — for years, she found herself in the hospital.
Phulka experienced a flare — a period of significant and potentially debilitating symptoms due to inflammation in the gut — which required her to withdraw from her studies to focus on her health. Even after the worst of her symptoms resolved, she still faced the task of learning how to navigate the day-to-day trials of a chronic illness while in school.
Now a family medicine resident, Phulka found a way to manage. For other students with IBD, they’ll face a similar journey.
UBC offers a host of academic accommodations and has a network of alumni happy to share their tried and true strategies for academic success. From knowing when to take a step back from school to learning when to stand up for yourself, Gut Feelings has assembled a short guide of resources and tips from alumni living with IBD.
Register with the Centre for Accessibility
The Centre for Accessibility (CFA) is UBC’s program for facilitating disability accommodation for students, in accordance with Disability Accommodation Policy LR7, and should be a student’s first stop on their path to establishing a support network at UBC. Students with IBD should register with the Centre as soon as possible to arrange accommodations for their studies. Medical documentation is required.
In her experience, Phulka said she sat down with an accessibility advisor from the (CFA) and worked out which accommodations would be the most beneficial for her. According to their website, the Centre strives to provide accommodations “tailored to each student’s particular circumstances,” and students can request changes to their accommodations when necessary.
Potential accommodations for people living with IBD include closer proximity to washrooms during exams, extra sick days and extensions on assignments. For students struggling with common IBD symptoms like bowel urgency, fatigue and chronic pain, these accommodations can be a life-saver (or gut-saver if you will).
Matthew Sebastiani, an alumni from the Master of Business Administration program and the president of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Vancouver Chapter from 2018–2025, said he appreciated the “peace of mind” the CFA afforded him. “I [had] that safety net if I need[ed] to use it.”
The Centre can also support students by connecting them with accommodations common to other people living with their condition, according to Phulka.
Student affairs and department-specific academic resources are also available to provide additional support for students.
Both Sebastiani and Phulka highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy relationships with professors and educators. Though not required by the CFA, Sebastiani found that communicating his health-related needs directly to his faculty made him feel more comfortable with accessing his accommodations.
Sebastiani emphasized that students should never feel discouraged or embarrassed about accessing these resources.
“Living with a chronic condition, the reality is, sadly, we're at a slight disadvantage to other people,” he said. “So if the Centre for Accessibility can help provide those resources to make it a little bit more equal, then … I encourage people [to access them].”
Manage your lifestyle and expectations
According to Phulka, a major strategy for success is to “go in with one foot first” when transitioning back into school with IBD.
After her hospital stay, Phulka slowly transitioned back into her studies, starting with three courses on her doctor’s recommendation. Once she was settled in with three courses, she incrementally increased her course load.
For Phulka and Sebastiani, prioritizing health is a crucial consideration for students living with IBD.
Phulka thinks of managing health with IBD as addressing the “four pillars of health”: sleep, diet, exercise and stress management. This advice is relevant for all students, but especially important for those with IBD, as lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms such as fatigue, which can be one of the most debilitating.
The literature suggests that there is no one-size-fits-all health routine for people with IBD. While one type of diet plan may improve symptoms for one patient, it could be insufficient or detrimental for others. Figuring out a routine that is ideal and most productive to feeling like your best self is a part of the IBD experience.
“It's trial and error,” said Phulka. “But you will figure out what works for you and what doesn't.”
Practice self-kindness
One learning curve familiar to many students with IBD is trying to have grace with yourself and your body after diagnosis.
“Have patience as a student. Don’t get overwhelmed with having to be academically perfect and sacrifice your health,” said Phulka. “Ask for help when you need it.”
There are plenty of community resources available to students with IBD, and a strong network of IBD peers students can lean on. Students who might be needing some inspiration can always look to the AbbVie IBD Award Recipients list to see the stories of fellow IBD warriors who battled a chronic illness and found success in their chosen fields.
According to Sebastiani, in spite of the ups and downs, he feels his IBD further motivated him to persevere toward success.
“Go after your dreams, aim big,” he said. “Whatever you want to do, despite living with Crohn's or [Ulcerative Colitis], you can still do.”
