“i feel like in those few years, i grew up really, really quick, and i matured really quick,” he said. “i feel like that also has set me on the path … where i’ve always just kind of knew what i wanted.”
now, at 17 years old, carter has chosen a journey toward helping others because of his personal experience with crohn’s disease, and he is currently enrolled in a bachelor of health program at the university of new brunswick saint john and a volunteer and advocate for others living with ibd. he also loves cooking and spending time with those who mean the most to him.
now that carter’s condition is much better managed, he looks back on his experience with the perspective of someone grateful for all that life has given him, even the negatives.
“i’m glad of how far i have come. i guess, from that standpoint, and how much i have grown from that because i know more about myself now and what my body needs, how to take care of myself,” he said. “i know how much my treatment, like how important that is to me and all of that kind of stuff. so, that’s why i really prioritize that and all of those things.”
finding his tribe and leaning on his support system
living with crohn’s disease is tough on people of all ages, but during childhood, it can rob a person of the normality of growing up. because it’s an invisible disease, a lot of carter’s peers didn’t understand his experience and what he was going through, which made it difficult to find those who he could genuinely connect with.
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