Color of Chrons org brings neglected IBD topic to Xavier students
April 16, 2022
By: Kamryn Edwards, Staff Writer
(Photo source: Kamryn Edwards)
The Color of Chrons and Chronic Illness organization made an appearance at Xavier University of Louisiana to educate students on the effects of inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) within black and brown communities. The presentation consisted of multiple speakers from which students were able to gain more understanding on the topic.
Melodie Narain-Blackwell, President and founder of the Color of Chrons and Chronic Illness shared insight based on her own experience with inflammatory bowel disorder.
“I want you to pay attention to how long you’re in the bathroom,” Narain-Blackwell said. “Is it that you’re distracted or is it because your body isn’t operating the way that it’s supposed to? I want you guys to think about that,” Narain-Blackwell said.
The effects of inflammatory bowel disorder are not limited to physical damage: this disorder also affects the brain. Dr. Joshua Anthony covered the topic of mental health during the presentation and explained how it connects to inflammatory bowel disorder.
“From my portion of the talk, I hope that the students take away the importance of maintaining their mental health,” Anthony said. “I hope that I was able to explain how mental health can impact our physical health,” Anthony added.
The topic of irritable bowel disease among black and brown communities is a topic that does not receive much attention. However, its importance changed the mindsets of many students throughout the night.
“This event taught me some interesting things about health disparities that I haven’t even thought about with IBD,” said Zajae Lee, a sophomore biology pre-med major at Xavier University.
The message that Color of Chrons and Chronic Illness gave is a message they hope goes beyond the presentation. London Wills, National Policy Advocacy Director at Johnson and Johnson, a well-known pharmaceutical industry company, shared the importance of spreading the message amongst the African American community.
“I hope that students will be able to take this information back to their family and friends, to keep the message alive that IBD is real. It is something that can be managed, but we need the information in the African-American community, so whatever you can do to make sure you spread the word is greatly appreciated,” Wills said.
