Every month she hosts Lunch and Learn sessions. The events give people an opportunity to share experiences and learn more about themselves.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Tampa Bay area woman uses her personal health story to comfort people struggling with the same symptoms she has managed.
“Vomiting, diarrhea… at the same time. So, if you’ve got that going at the same time, you can’t function,” Stephanie A. Wynn said.
Wynn has inflammatory bowel disease. She runs the nonprofit Stephanie A. Wynn Foundation. We first introduced you to Wynn earlier this year and her mission to help disenfranchised groups of people get the healthcare information they need.
The nonprofit’s mission is to “remove healthcare and financial disparities faced by underserved African Americans who are diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) specifically Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease,” according to its website.
Every month she hosts Lunch and Learn sessions. The events give people an opportunity to share experiences and learn more about themselves.
“I’m passionate about helping those who can’t fight for themselves,” Wynn said. “I’m doing good. I’m much better. I had 2 hospitalizations over the summer.”
Her issues: chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. According to the CDC, Black people are impacted at a higher rate.
“Our goal is to bridge the gap between the patient and provider, so that they understand how to communicate,” Wynn said. “That includes: a gastroenterologist, and IBD specialist, dietician nutritionist, mental health counselor.”
“I was under the assumption that I had bad stomach cramps,” said Lolita Dash-Pits.
Turns out, Dash-Pits have something called irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
“I also was told that it can turn into IBD and, or cancer,” Dash-Pits said.
The next Lunch and Learn is at 11 a.m. on Oct. 28 at Boyd Hill Hammock Hall in St. Petersburg.
