How Crohn’s Disease Changed This Mother-Daughter Dynamic

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. The inflammation can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. Crohn’s disease can develop at any age, but it is most commonly diagnosed when someone is either an adolescent or between 20-30 years old.

Natalie Hayden fell into that 20-30 demographic. Natalie had just graduated college and was back home looking to start the next step of her life when she started having symptoms like fevers, stomach pain, weight loss, and lethargy. After a trip to the emergency room and a hospital stay, Natalie was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 21 years old.

A diagnosis like Crohn’s can come with many questions, challenges, and life changes. It can impact different relationships in your life, including those with your family.

Natalie’s mom, Diane Sparacio, said the diagnosis “rocked [the family’s] world.” Nearly 20 years after that diagnosis, the mother-daughter duo looks back on how Natalie’s Crohn’s disease has shaped and influenced their relationship.

When a loved one is diagnosed with a chronic illness like IBD, the journey presents unique experiences for both the patient and their loved ones. When I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 21, my mom was by my side every step of the way. Even though I am older with a family of my own now, my mom continues to offer support anytime health challenges arise.

I asked my mom, Diane Sparacio, to reflect on the 20-year IBD journey she has taken with me and to share what she’s learned along the way.

As a parent, one of your greatest fears is having your child be diagnosed with a life-long illness that has no cure. This became a reality for my family when my daughter, Natalie, went from being a picture of health to being told in the hospital she had Crohn’s disease at age 21. 

The first in our family to be diagnosed with IBD, this rocked our world. It felt heartbreaking and helpless to watch my daughter grapple with a chronic illness diagnosis, but over the last two decades, she continues to amaze me with her perseverance, strength, and dedication to help others. 

For the first time in a long time, I had the chance to ask Natalie questions about her patient journey.