Welcome to the debut of Gut Culture, a podcast that gut checks assumptions about IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) through real conversations with two healthcare leaders. In this episode, Melodie and Steven discuss the challenges of living with IBD, and how those challenges are magnified for patients of color. Melodie and Steven share personal stories and speak directly to patients as they bring together years of knowledge of two incredible patient organizations.

“Statistically, we know that if you are a black patient coming into the emergency room going to your doctor's offices, it's a 91% chance that you won't even get an IBD workup. There needs to be a space like this, where our community members can come and hear the truth,” says Melodie Narain-Blackwell, President and Founder of The Color of Crohn's and Chronic Illness.

Among the highlights in this episode:

1:25- Getting to know Melodie

1:54- Getting to know Steven

3:15- Defining inflammatory bowel disease

3:25- “IBD actually means sometimes false imprisonment”

3:30- How IBD controlled Melodie’s life

4:41- How IBD is mentally and physically oppressive

5:22- The racial disparity in treating IBD

8:12- How TV commercials oversimplify IBD

10:08- How IBD impacts your work life

11:13- The often-ignored other symptoms of IBD

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at GHLF. snewmark@ghlf.org

Melodie Narain-Blackwell, President and Founder of The Color of Crohn's and Chronic Illness. melodie@cocci.org

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