UC Stands for Ultimate Champion: Ken Takes Control of his Disease

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting 750,000 people living in North America. While there are medications that can keep symptoms under control, the fear of unexpected flare-ups can cause anxiety about being too far from a bathroom at any time – and consistent and repeated inflammation can also increase the risk for cancer.

It was 1989. Ken Krupa was 31 years old, recently married to his wife Kelly, and had just made a move from DuPont's manufacturing facility in West Virginia to Bloomington, Illinois. It was also the year when he was diagnosed with UC. Fortunately, Ken responded well to medications and didn't have to significantly alter his routine.

Turning to Penn Medicine

This continued for 24 years, and besides a few bad flareups, Ken was able to manage and monitor his UC without much to report. In 2013, however, one of those flareups led his care team to take a closer look. A colonoscopy showed that Ken's UC had spread throughout his entire large intestine and revealed signs of precancer.

Encircled by a strong network of support from his wife, children, and grandchildren, Ken met with Gary Lichtenstein, MD, at Penn Medicine to learn about his options. Although a drastic option that is never taken lightly, removing Ken's colon was deemed the best way to prevent flare-ups and cancer. Najjia Mahmoud, MD, was added to the team, and right around Ken and Kelly's 25^th wedding anniversary, Dr. Mahmoud performed a full colectomy on Ken, ultimately removing his entire large intestine and building a J-pouch.

Recovering from this 12-hour surgery was not easy, and complications extended his hospitalization. Ken could not eat anything for the next two weeks, and he dealt with NG tubes and PICC lines. He focused on the positive, and after he regained his strength, Ken went home to continue his recovery surrounded by the support of his family.

Back and Stronger Than Ever

Four months later and Ken was back at work and stronger than ever. Without fear of a flare-up, he traveled internationally to meet with manufacturing operations worldwide with newfound confidence – that continued until he retired a few years later.

Ken has also connected with other specialists at Penn Medicine, including David Lin, MD, who performed a cardiac ablation on Ken last year to correct an atrial flutter that put him at risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications.

Today, Ken continues to enjoy a healthy life, alongside his wife Kelly and their Goldendoodle, Gracie. They recently went to Italy together and are already talking about making a return trip soon. "I can do pretty much anything. Getting to this point wasn't always easy, but I'm here now – and grateful to everyone at Penn who has helped restore my life."

What Impacts One, Impacts Us All

But Ken wasn't the only person in his family affected by his treatment at Penn.

"Seeing firsthand the level of care provided to patients by the teams at Penn built my confidence in the idea that Penn Medicine is always there to help," said Ken and Kelly's daughter Megan, as she faces her own medical challenges at only 40 years old. She lives in West Virginia with her two young sons, Owen and Gabriel, and likes the idea of knowing where to turn for help if she needs it.

For 30-year-old Hannah, her dad Ken's experience with UC and the support he received at Penn inspired her to become a nurse. She recently accepted a new job in Maryland with an oncology program.

And when Ken's sister-in-law Ann was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, they moved her from Charleston, West Virginia up to Penn for her treatments because they knew the level of care patients receive at Penn.

"I am very grateful, thankful to Penn. It is the reason I'm sitting here today," shares Ken. As he reflects on his journey, he recognizes that even when it wasn't the best news, it was always a positive interaction. "You can lead and live a perfectly wonderful life with the correct treatment. Penn is a wonderful medical campus, an incredible team to have on your side."