My story: Hi, my name is Ben, and I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) at the age of 11. While it was somewhat managed throughout my teenage years, it was never truly under control. After moving out of home in my late teens, I adopted the typical mindset of "My illness doesn't define me." I enjoyed my freedom, eating and drinking whatever I wanted (perhaps a bit too much), feeling liberated but ultimately disrespecting my illness. Before long, things spiralled out of control. By my mid-20s, I found myself encouraged to consider stoma surgery, but my initial response was all too common for a young, sometimes single guy: "No way! I'll never get laid again." Fast forward through years of working hard, playing hard, drinking too much coffee, and indulging in too much pizza, and I transitioned from severe UC to bowel cancer. The diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving me with no choice in the matter. Just three weeks later, I had a permanent stoma. That was in 2011. I still don't let my medical history limit what I do, although I do have a little more respect for it these days.