News

Students living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis are heading back to class this fall with a scholarship that supports their academic and career goals

Toronto, ON - August 24, 2021 – To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is awarding twice the number of $5,000 scholarships to students living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis who are enrolled at a Canadian post-secondary institution for the upcoming fall semester. Today Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is delighted to announce the 20 recipients of the 2021 AbbVie IBD Scholarship that celebrates the academic ambitions of post-secondary students from across the country and their efforts to make a lasting and meaningful difference in their community. 

Affecting one in 140 Canadians, Crohn’s or colitis can be diagnosed at any age, but the typical age of onset is early adulthood – a time when young adults are pursuing post-secondary education and taking the first step into their career. The chronic diseases cause the body to attack healthy tissue in the bowels, which causes inflammation of all or part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The most common symptoms include severe abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, internal bleeding, and the unpredictable and urgent need to use the washroom. The disruptive and debilitating nature of the diseases affects the ability to attend class or work to support tuition and other educational expenses, which is why Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and AbbVie Canada partnered in 2012 to launch the national program.

“We are elated to collaborate with AbbVie Canada to offer a program that assists post-secondary students in their academic journey by helping to alleviate financial stress. As a milestone year for the program, we’re excited to offer additional scholarships and even more so as it’s been a particularly challenging year for many students,” says Lori Radke, President and CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. “It’s an honour to support an outstanding group of students in achieving their academic and career goals.”

To date, the competitive program has awarded 109 scholarships to students from across the country who are managing the challenges that come with living with a chronic disease all while taking on coursework, pursuing their passions outside of school, and giving back to the community by sharing their talents.

“We are extremely proud to have partnered with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada in this meaningful program for the past 10 years,” said Tracey Ramsay, Vice President and General Manager, AbbVie Canada. “Too many students with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis are forced to delay completing post-secondary education as a result of their disease. We hope these scholarships can ease some of the financial burden, allowing students to focus on their studies and follow their dreams.”

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and AbbVie Canada congratulate the recipients of the 2021 AbbVie IBD Scholarship:

• Kenya Taplay – Brock University
• Kate Mason – Dalhousie University
• Trevor Klingenberg – McGill University
• Michael Shamash – McGill University
• Ruby Mann – McMaster University
• Eric McMullen – McMaster University
• Jaylyn Watson – Queen's University
• Tesa Ramsay – Saint Mary's University
• Jack Sweeting – Trent University
• Joshua Eszczuk – University of Alberta
• Ellen Klaver – University of Alberta
• Mariam Mersha – University of Alberta
• Anonymous – Anonymous
• Caitlynn Danchuk – University of Manitoba
• Xin Yu Yang – Université de Montréal
• Lauren Baerg – University of Toronto
• Mathew Himelson – University of Toronto
• Matthew O'Halloran – University of Toronto
• Jasmine Kobrosli – University of Windsor
• Austin Haasz – Western University

To learn more about the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program and the recipients, please visit ibdscholarship.ca.

About Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is on a relentless journey to find the cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the lives of children and adults affected by these chronic diseases. We are the country’s largest volunteer-based organization with this mission and are one of the top two health charity funders of Crohn’s and colitis research in the world, investing over $135 million in research to date. We are transforming the lives of people affected by Crohn’s and colitis through research, patient programs, advocacy, and awareness. For more information, visit crohnsandcolitis.ca and follow us @getgutsycanada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About AbbVie

We’re a company that takes on the toughest health challenges.

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.ca and www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbviecanada on Twitter or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
For media inquiries, please contact:

Angie Specic
VP, Marketing and Communications
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
416-920-5035 x 210
aspecic@crohnsandcolitis.ca