At 18, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I’d had pains and flareups for over a year – but after diagnosis, I was pushed to make a decision on treatment in a matter of weeks. I wasn’t given any options to think about it, or even explore what other treatments may have been available.

I had bad experience after bad experience. I was put on steroidal treatments – only to have my hair fall out and to suffer from depression. With prednisone, I couldn’t sleep. I was in and out of the hospital, and they wanted to remove parts of my bowel.

I wanted to know more treatment options. I was desperate for an out. I knew trials existed, but they were scattered across so many sites. I didn’t know what they were or what to look for.

Then I found HealthMatch. Not only are all the trials on one site, but you don’t need to be a health professional to figure it out. It was a simple and easy process – it’s exactly what’s needed for a patient. I feel like HealthMatch is putting me back in control.