We are all pandoras, each with our own boxes - but we all have hope.
By Selan Lee from the United Kingdom
Suppose you live in the UK and have any interest in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In that case, you will likely have recently seen news articles in which researchers from University College London, Imperial College and the Francis Crick Institute announced they had found a section of DNA present in 95% of people with IBD, which causes an excessive immune response and consequently inflammation.[1] This news has been greatly welcomed by many in the IBD community here - myself included. However, the feelings the announcement generated are weirdly reminiscent of a conversation I recently shared with others with IBD.
Last month, I met with members of the Young Adult Advisory Panel - a fantastic group committed to helping Crohn’s and Colitis UK meet the needs of the IBD young adult population. As we walked to the social venue, the conversation led to how we each coped with the often tumultuous nature of IBD. It soon became clear that the common thread for all of our coping methods was hope. Some hope for research breakthroughs. Others hope for a reduction in flare symptoms, and a few hope for a good blood test result.
Living with a chronic illness can quickly diminish hope for many and unfortunately lead to poor mental health. Research suggests that around a third of individuals diagnosed with a life-changing chronic illness will experience symptoms of depression.[2] But, as so many of us with IBD will tell you - hope is never truly extinguished.
Over the years, hope has taken on several names—the indomitable human spirit, desperation, or perseverance—but it has never disappeared from the human consciousness. Unfortunately, IBD and chronic illnesses have also been present in humans’ lives for an equally long time. But instead of looking at this longstanding relationship as parasitical, I rather see it akin to the prevalence of the myth of Pandora’s box throughout history.
We all know of Pandora’s box, a myth that warns of unchecked curiosity and disobedience when Pandora unleashes evil into the world when she opens a box left in her care by the Gods. Despite all the horrors she releases, hope remains and enters the world, providing humans with the resilience necessary to live in a world filled with such evils. This story has been used for many reasons: to curb curiosity and provide hope. We’ve all faced bleak circumstances where we have relied on hope to see us through.
Life with IBD is no different. We have all faced negativity in some form with IBD - whether that be a medication failing to work, health professionals denying you agency or being limited in your capacity to spend time with friends and loved ones. But like Pandora, we know that there is hope, and with that hope, in the words of Martina Sazunic, we use that hope to “build a ladder” and make the best of our respective situations to reach what we are hoping for. Thus, we are all Pandora.
We all are Pandoras, each with our own boxes, living with the negativity wrought by these boxes—but we all also have hope. So, while that breakthrough in research might, in some eyes, look like a minor step forward in the ambiguity of IBD - it is also a reminder that hope is what empowers us to continue advocating for better lives with IBD. So, from one Pandora to another, hope is in your box - don’t forget that.
References
Gallagher, J. (2024, June 5). Major cause of inflammatory bowel disease found. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wwdd6v2wjo#:~:text=A%20major%20cause%20of%20inflammatory,excessive%20inflammation%20in%20the%20bowels.
Professional, C. C. M. (n.d.). Chronic illness and depression. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9288-chronic-illness-and-depression
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