Supporting Students with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Pursuit of Higher Education
AbbVie Canada Provides $75,000 in scholarships for post-secondary success
TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2025 /CNW/ - Crohn's and Colitis Canada and AbbVie Canada are proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the annual AbbVie IBD Scholarship. Fifteen students from across Canada have been awarded $5,000 in recognition of their resilience and academic dedication – a tradition of support for students living with IBD that has been ongoing since 2012.
"As someone living with ulcerative colitis, I understand firsthand the challenges that students with IBD face while pursuing their education," said Josh Berman, President and CEO of Crohn's and Colitis Canada. "It is an honour that my first announcement as CEO is to recognize the 15 remarkable students receiving the 2025 AbbVie IBD Scholarship."
IBD is often diagnosed during the teenage years – a pivotal stage for developing a sense of self, building relationships, and gaining independence.1 For young people living with IBD, challenges with pain management and disease control can disrupt school attendance and limit participation in social activities, both of which are critical to academic achievement and social development.2
"At AbbVie, we strive to improve patient outcomes for Canadians living with IBD so they can focus on achieving their goals," said Rami Fayed, Vice President and General Manager of AbbVie Canada. "For 14 years, our partnership with Crohn's and Colitis Canada has ensured that students not only receive financial assistance, but also recognition for their strength. We are humbled by the opportunity to continue investing in this important program and celebrating the accomplishments of this year's outstanding recipients."
2025 AbbVie IBD Scholars:
- Abigail Redding, University of Guelph
- Bronwyn Taylor, Adler University
- Chloé Vaccarino, Université de Montréal
- Colin Dickson, University of Manitoba
- Esteban (Thomas) Moorcroft, Algonquin College
- Jessica Cromwell, University of Alberta
- Kayla Beaudoin, McMaster University
- Lauren Dmytrow, University of Windsor
- Lloyd Davids, University of Victoria, Clinton Shard Memorial Scholarship winner
- Mariana Batista, Fanshawe College
- Shane Hill, Fanshawe College
- Shiza Hirani, University of Regina
- Shreya Narayanamoorthy, Western University
- Trina McCarthy, Justice Institute of British Columbia
- Yasmin Anderson, University of Ottawa
To learn more about the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program recipients, visit crohnsandcolitis.ca/recipients.
About the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program
Crohn's and Colitis Canada partnered with AbbVie Canada in 2012 to launch the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program to support students in Canada to achieve their academic goals while making a meaningful difference in their communities. Including this year's recipients, a total of 154 students have received scholarships. The Program helps students spend more time on their studies, pursue their passions and get involved with causes close to their hearts.
About Crohn's and Colitis in Canada
More than 322,000 Canadians currently live with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with that number expected to rise to 470,000 by 2035. These conditions can develop at any age, though they most commonly appear in early adulthood, between the ages of 20 and 29. Alarmingly, new diagnoses are increasing most rapidly among children under the age of six.
Crohn's and colitis cause the immune system to attack healthy tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to inflammation. Common symptoms include severe abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, internal bleeding, and an urgent, unpredictable need to use the washroom.
About Crohn's and Colitis Canada
We are on a relentless journey to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by these diseases.
Our 2023-2026 Impact Strategy creates a roadmap for our journey with a focus on:
- Accelerating the impact of research – address key gaps and success factors; shorten the timeline from discovery to patient impact
- Reaching further – help more people with Crohn's and colitis and their caregivers with our wide range of programs
- Boosting awareness and understanding – engage and motivate Canadians
- Driving system change – advocate and partner to influence change
Follow us at crohnsandcolitis.ca, @getgutsycanada on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and at Crohn's and Colitis Canada on YouTube and LinkedIn.
About AbbVie Canada
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.ca. Follow AbbVie Canada on X, on Instagram, or find us on LinkedIn.
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1 Moayyedi P, Benchimol EI, Armstrong D, et al. Joint Canadian Association of Gastroenterology and Crohn's Colitis Canada Position Statement on Biosimilars for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. J Can Assoc Gastroenterol 2020;3:e1-e9. |
2 Hanauer S, Liedert B, Balser S, et al. Safety and efficacy of BI 695501 versus adalimumab reference product in patients with advanced Crohn's disease (VOLTAIRE-CD): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021;6:816-825. |
SOURCE Crohn’s and Colitis Canada