Meet Kristen

Kristen’s journey with her medical challenges started at age 12 when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. After 7 long years of medical appointments, new medications, pain, special diets, and procedures, Kristen underwent ileostomy surgery in 2015.

Life with an ostomy bag wasn’t easy and she struggled for a few years feeling alone and isolated while in college. She decided to start an Instagram account (@TheFureyFighter) in hopes to share her journey and help all types of ostomates with a goal in mind of making sure they never feel alone like she did. She promotes body positivity, mental health awareness, crushes the stigmas around ostomies and spreads awareness about living with a chronic illness and ostomy bag. Kristen’s journey with Stealth Belt started this year where she discovered the amazing opportunities an ostomy belt can give.

Interests/ Involvement

• Speaker with Coloplast
• UOAA speaker at support groups
• Blogs and creates videos on social media-The Fureyfighter
• Line dancing
• Traveling
• Golfing