What does advocacy mean to me?

I’ve thought a lot about this over the years, in relation to IBD and other things that I’m passionate about – like mental health and infertility. For me, it’s talking openly and honestly about things that are associated with stigma or lack of comfort or an insufficient amount of public knowledge. It’s sharing what real life looks like, in this case living with Crohn’s disease and receiving Remicade infusions every 6 weeks. 

For me, advocacy means sharing the good and the bad, the things I need help with and the things I can offer others. I find it most important/valuable to share the experiences I’ve had, incase they make even one other person feel less alone, more understood. Advocacy means answering questions, even ones that might feel awkward or uncomfortable or too personal. Advocacy means being honest, even when it’s uncomfortable, about Crohn’s disease, or anything else for that matter too. I feel like life’s too short to not help others.