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Support Julian's Battle Against Ulcerative Colitis
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$465 raised of
6 donations
Supporting Julian’s Fight Against Ulcerative Colitis
Julian is an incredibly brave 14-year-old child who has been fighting a relentless battle against Ulcerative Colitis (UC), a severe and chronic Inflammatory Bowl Disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine (colon). It is believed to be an autoimmune disorder in which Julian’s body’s autoimmune system mistakenly attacks the colon. Julian has been fighting this battle since he was 12 years old. For over two years, this disease has completely reshaped his life, causing him to miss his entire freshman year of high school and has placed an enormous emotional and financial burden on his family. We are reaching out to ask for your support to help them manage the overwhelming medical bills, necessary equipment, and the loss of income that has resulted from his ongoing hospitalizations and complex care.
The Initial Diagnosis & First Fight (2023)
Julian was first diagnosed with UC in March 2023 after being hospitalized due to severe inflammation and extreme, painful weight loss. His body was attacking itself, and the pain made him lose all desire to eat.
What followed was heartbreaking:
- He was treated with medication and steroids to control his diagnosis for several weeks. He was discharged with a plan for infusion treatments at Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin every couple of weeks while weaning him off the steroids, to treat his UC. As the steroid dosage was decreased, he began to get very sick again, which we learned his body rejected the medication, leading to his second hospitalization in June/July 2023.
- He was put on a different medication also used to treat UC along with steroids in attempts to gain control of the inflammation. He was soon discharged again with prescheduled infusion treatments and a new medication, but his body rejected that medication as well, leading to a third hospitalization in August 2023 as they begin weaning him off the steroids again. This time, he became so much sicker and weaker than his previous hospitalizations, that he needed a blood transfusion and specialized nutrition (TPN and lipids) delivered through a PICC line to gain strength for surgery.
Major Surgery and Temporary Relief
By the grace of God, Julian was strong enough for a life-altering procedure in September 2023: most of Julian’s colon was removed (leaving only a small portion), and he was given an ileostomy, which is a small opening (stoma) in the abdomen through which waste is diverted into an external pouch. This surgery allowed him to be taken off all of his medication and function with some normalcy - this gave the family a much-needed break. This disease is incurable so he currently and will always have pain and discomfort coming from the piece of colon that remains. This piece of colon will continue to act as if it is inflamed and will cause pain for him from time to time for the rest of his life.
The Current Crisis: Sepsis and Intensive Care (2025)
After almost two years of managing his ileostomy, a new crisis began in July 2025. Julian began to have stomach pain and began to vomit, being unable to keep anything down.
- Julian was hospitalized with a bowel obstruction caused by a twisted intestine, which required emergency surgery. The family was informed they would be able to take him home within 24 hours.
- While Julian was recovering from the surgery, he became very sick and developed a fever with a rapid heart rate and low blood pressure. Tragically, during this surgery, his intestine was accidentally punctured, causing fluid to leak into his abdominal cavity.
- He was rushed to the ICU leading to a terrifying diagnosis of sepsis and a severe infection. This hospital stay lasted over a month (July 27th - August 28th) enduring multiple surgeries and procedures.
Julian was soon discharged but the fight wasn't over. Due to continued stomach pain and fever, the family was in and out of the hospital for continued treatment and monitoring to ensure the severe infection was fully eradicated:
- Readmitted: September 15th – September 30th for continued treatment of strong antibiotics. The infectious disease team stated they believed the sepsis was not completely gone which caused the infection.
- Readmitted: October 5th – October 8th with weekly scheduled visits for his PICC line dressing change, lab work, iron infusions, follow-ups with his specialists: GI Specialists, GI Therapists and surgical team(s).
Julian's Ongoing Needs
While Julian is home, currently, his recovery is far from over. He still feels weak from the weight loss and poor nutrition caused by this two-year ordeal. He is also homebound, missing all of the exciting experiences and memories teenagers get to make when starting high school, such as school dances (homecoming), sports, and afterschool clubs and activities. Julian also still relies on complex medical care just to sustain his strength.
He still has a PICC line inserted, through which he receives essential TPN (nutrition) and supplements at home. This is why the weekly scheduled visits for dressing changes, lab work, iron infusions, and numerous follow-ups with his GI specialist, GI therapist, and surgery team are required.
How Your Donation Will Help
This medical journey has resulted in staggering bills and has kept Julian’s parents away from work for extended periods. Your generous donation will go directly toward easing this burden and ensuring Julian can focus entirely on healing.
The funds will be used for:
- Accumulated Medical Debt: Co-pays, deductibles, and expenses not covered by insurance.
- Specialized Supplies: Costs associated with his PICC line, TPN, ileostomy bags, and care.
- Travel Expenses: Frequent trips to Children's Hospital for appointments, procedures, and emergencies.
- Loss of Income: Helping the family cover essential living expenses while they continue to take time off work for Julian’s intensive, required care.
Please consider donating and sharing Julian's story. Every dollar and every share will help Julian’s family keep fighting for their brave boy.
Thank you for being a part of Julian’s community of support.
If you are able, please also share this link with your friends and family!
Organizer and beneficiary
Luisa Ramos
Beneficiary