If regular activities sound difficult for people living with Crohn’s disease, imagine trying to swim at a competitive level when getting diagnosed as a 12-year-old national champion, shortly before her 13th birthday.
“When I was diagnosed, I literally felt like my entire world was over,” Baker told Jon Evans, anchor and assistant news director with WECT News in Wilmington, North Carolina, in the 1on1 With Jon Evans podcast. “I look back on that self, I’m 13 years old, and for me, I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer then. I was like, ‘I’m going to do it, I’m going to give everything to this sport!’ and I felt like, ‘Why me? Why would I get this? Why wouldn’t this happen to someone who didn’t care as much about their sport?’ I was willing to sacrifice anything for it, like sleepovers, going to football games, moving, whatever it was.”
Baker had to battle stomach cramps, severe weight loss, nausea, and more. But she made it through it all, eventually earning the silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and helping Team USA to gold in the 4×100 medley relay, and once holding the 100-meter world backstroke record.
Baker has since become a role model for young swimmers like her and has advocated for finding the best doctor to treat your symptoms and finding doctors who support your goals.
“I found doctors who weren’t going to be just like, ‘‘You’re Kathleen with Crohn’s disease.’ I need to be Kathleen the swimmer with Crohn’s disease,” Baker told The New York Times.
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