Kamloops scholarship winner has school life back on track – Kamloops This Week

Carlie Thompsons post-secondary education was put on hold two years ago, but through perseverance, the 20-year-old university student is back on track.

She is one of 10 people to receive this years AbbVie IBD Scholarship from Crohns and Colitis Canada, which annually awards 10 scholarships of $5,000 to students living with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitiswho exemplify outstanding leadership in their community and strive to maintain an optimal level of wellness.

Growing up in Westsyde, Thompson heard about the scholarship after getting involved with the Kamloops chapter of Crohns and Colitis Canada two years ago.

She opted to apply for the scholarship this year as she is going back to school after striving to get her health in order.

Thompson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in August of 2018, just ahead of moving to Montreal to attend Concordia University as a first-year student.

She managed to complete one semester, but had to withdraw after that as the disease was too difficult to manage while attending classes.

Crohns and colitis are the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affects the digestive tract.

It can lead to rectal bleeding and abdominal cramping, among other issues.

Thompson said it was very difficult to function normally as a student, noting she was fatigued every day from blood loss and had to plan her life around washroom usage.

It was extremely debilitating at its worst, Thompson said. My gut is inflamed and my colon is lined with ulcers.

Though she was holding her own, Thompson said she wasnt living up to her potential, so she decided to take a break from school to focus on treatment.

Thompson said medication proved helpful, but it took her years to find ones that were effective.

Stuck at home and praying that the next medication would work, Thompson said she felt lost and defined by her sickness something she thinks able-bodied people may be able to relate to given the circumstances of the pandemic.

Having started her current medications last summer, Thompson was declared to be in clinical remission this past July.

Now she is headed back to Concordia, albeit from her home in Kamloops due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushing classes online.

Im excited to finally not be held back by my disease anymore, Thompson said, noting it is bittersweet, given the circumstances of the pandemic and the fact all her friends are either third-year students or university graduates at this point.

Thompson is pursuing a degree in biology and French at Concordia and her scholarship will cover the cost of books and tuition.

She said she hopes to pursue a career in zoology, doing fieldwork and research.

Among the credentials that landed Thompson the scholarship was her commitment to giving back to the community as vice-president of the Kamloops Youth Hybrid Club and Rotary.

As vice-president, one could find her running meetings, managing events and acting as a liaison.

Thompson also facilitated the 2019 and 2020 Kamloops Gutsy Walk and advocates for washroom access.

She recently became president of the Kamloops chapter of Crohns and Colitis Canada.

Between Sept. 22 and Sept. 26, the Kamloops chapter is holding an online auction, the proceeds of which will go toward research and patient programs.

Find the website by searching Kamloops chapter of Crohns and Colitis Canada.

Go here to read the rest:
Kamloops scholarship winner has school life back on track - Kamloops This Week