Jennifer Bell, who lives with Crohn’s disease, sums up her experience: “For many families where somebody is diagnosed with Crohn’s, it turns into a family affair. Crohn’s doesn’t just affect you, it affects everybody around you.”
Jennifer was diagnosed in 2003 in Toronto after being sick for nine months. Soon after, she went to Edmonton for doctoral studies. Unfortunately, her health deteriorated.
Her parents, and mother Dian in particular, travelled frequently to be with her and help as she went through different treatments and surgeries. Fortunately, she had an amazing healthcare team at the University of Alberta Hospital who “took very special care of me,” even if she felt there were times she was living in the hospital. Slowly, her health stabilized, and she could build a network of friends.
Jennifer is currently a Senior Vice President at a Global CEO Advisory firm. She describes her health status today:
“Even when you’re healthy, you’re never healthy the way somebody without Crohn’s is healthy. You still deal with issues that others don’t. And that goes unseen.”
While in Edmonton, Jennifer’s contact and involvement with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada started – with a bedside visit from a volunteer and some explicit direction from her healthcare team to get involved. The local Crohn’s and Colitis Canada chapter became her community. Next thing she knew, she was participating in Gutsy Walk and involved in fundraising events.
The Bell family has always held philanthropy as a high value, so it was natural for them to donate to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. 2024 marks the Bell family’s 20th anniversary of giving, a testament to their enduring commitment to philanthropy and the importance they place on giving back to their community. In honour of this meaningful milestone, they have made a generous pledge of $250,000. John says: “Our biggest philanthropic effort is Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. You’re number one and will continue to be.”
The family giving also includes volunteering, which has led to a close, ongoing connection. John and Jennifer have been board members. All have been fundraisers, met with researchers and connected with others in the community. The Bells appreciate Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s unwavering commitment to research combined with a growing suite of services for those affected – scholarships, webinars, online information and the multipronged effort to increase awareness and understanding.
Dian says: “All these things help make it not the invisible disease, help make it part of society instead of being the one thing that you can’t talk about.”
Jennifer sums up her journey: “There are going to be ups and downs along the way and it’s a journey for life. That’s not a bad thing. You need to know that it will change you, but that can be a positive thing.”
The Bells see Crohn’s as the loneliest disease – but as a supportive family, donors, fundraisers and volunteers – they are working to change that. John says: “We have proudly been supporting Crohn’s and Colitis Canada through unrestricted giving for 20 years. Our decision to offer unrestricted gifts stems from our unwavering confidence in the organization’s ability to allocate funds to where they are most urgently needed and where they hold the greatest potential for impact.”
To join the Bell family in transforming the future with a major gift, contact Emily Clark, Director of Major Gifts at eclark@crohnsandcolitis.ca
Bell family photo – Dian second from left, John at right, Jennifer third from left along with the two other daughters
Jennifer Bell ready for Gutsy Walk in 2021