Ito’s recipe for resilience with IBD | Takeda Stories
Ito’s recipe for resilience with IBD
This article features real patients sharing their personal experiences and is available to the public for disease awareness only. Individual experiences may vary. Please consult your healthcare provider for medical advice. This article is developed by Takeda. Speakers have received compensation from Takeda for their participation.
Watch the 4-minute video to learn how an ulcerative colitis diagnosis led Ito to follow his dream.
“For me, resilience means taking on challenges.”
Ito’s journey is one of perseverance and hope. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),1 he decided to change career path in order to navigate the challenges he faced with the disease.
“There were instances during client interactions when I experienced abdominal pains and had to excuse myself,” he explains. “It was challenging to consistently explain my condition to each client, which led to uncertainty about if I could effectively do my job.”
Marcelo Freire, M.D., who leads the Takeda Global Medical Affairs team for Gastroenterology, says people living with IBD can experience challenges that affect daily life, such as going to work or school, navigating social situations and even perceived stigma.
“The pain and feelings of embarrassment that often come with IBD can take an emotional toll,” he says. “That’s why we continue to innovate, building on our leadership in IBD to help patients lead fulfilling lives.”
Determined not to let his condition hold him back, Ito decided to pursue his childhood dream: a culinary career. Today, he supports the IBD community by creating dishes for those with dietary restrictions or limitations due to IBD.
“After being diagnosed, I realized that without my health, I couldn’t make any progress, so my thinking shifted to being a bit kinder to myself and treating myself with more compassion.” Now, he says, “I want to do what I truly desire from my heart.”
References
- Abraham C, Cho JH. Inflammatory bowel disease. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(21):2066–78. doi:10.1056/NEJMra0804647
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