Hi, my name is Easton. I'm a 20-year-old student who was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease this past August after struggling with gut issues for years.

I've always done my best to manage symptoms through diet and lifestyle, but things took a sudden turn for the worse earlier this summer. What started as discomfort spiraled into a major flare-up, leaving me in constant pain and rapidly losing weight—around 30 pounds in just a month and a half. I was already a slim guy to begin with, so this has been physically and emotionally draining.

Life Before the Flare

Before this all started, I was living a healthy and active life. I ran my own lawncare business and was working working full-time to save for university. I was excited to begin my second year this fall—but due to my health, I’ve had to put school on hold and stop working altogether.

Current Treatment Journey

After my diagnosis, my GI specialist prescribed prednisone, a fast-acting steroid. Unfortunately, it hasn’t helped much—my body just doesn’t respond to it like it does for most. I’ve now started biologics, a more advanced treatment that offers hope, but it can take up to 12 weeks (or more) before any real improvement is felt. In the meantime, I’m still unable to eat normal food without extreme discomfort.

Discovering the Elemental Diet

While searching for something that could help bridge the gap until the biologics begin to work, I came across the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada website and learned about the elemental diet.

An elemental diet is a specialized liquid nutrition formula made of fully broken-down nutrients, allowing the digestive system to rest and heal while still delivering essential calories and nutrition. Unlike products like Boost or Ensure (which I’ve tried but couldn’t tolerate), the elemental diet has been the only thing my body can handle. I’ve been using Bioclinic Naturals ElementAll Biological Diet for the past two weeks—and for the first time in months, I finally feel like I’m beginning to heal.

Why I Need Your Help

Here’s the challenge: this diet is extremely expensive. Each tub costs $116, and I need one roughly every 1.5 days, depending on my caloric needs. That adds up to about $75–$100 per day—which is unsustainable for me, especially since I’m currently unable to work and not eligible for coverage (because I’m not hospitalized or tube-fed).

To follow this diet for just 4 more weeks (which is the minimum recommended duration), it will cost around $2,100–$2,800. Depending on my recovery, I may need to continue longer, or transition to a partial elemental diet while slowly reintroducing food.

In addition, I’ve had to pay out-of-pocket for lab tests, supplements, and prescriptions—costs that add up quickly. But the elemental diet is by far the biggest and most urgent expense, and that’s why I’m reaching out for support.

How You Can Help

If you’re able to contribute any amount, it would mean the world to me. Even small donations will help me stay on the path to recovery and get back to school, work, and a normal life. If you can't donate, sharing this page with others would also be incredibly helpful.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for supporting me during this difficult time.

With gratitude,

Easton