15 Students Receive AbbVie IBD Scholarships for Postsecondary Education

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and AbbVie Canada are proud to announce the 2026 recipients of the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program. Fifteen students from across Canada will each receive a $5,000 scholarship to support their postsecondary education while living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program. Since its launch in 2012, the program has supported 184 students across Canada with $920,000 in scholarships.

“The AbbVie IBD Scholarship recognizes that added burden, but more importantly, it celebrates what these students are accomplishing. By easing some of the financial pressure of postsecondary education, we can give recipients more room to focus on their studies, their communities, and the futures they are building.”

Living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can affect very practical parts of the student experience. A recent national survey conducted by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada confirmed that three in four respondents said they are always adapting their lifestyle around the disease. For students, a flare can mean missing class, and fatigue can make it harder to study or participate in campus life. An urgent need for a washroom can shape how someone plans their day. And because many of these challenges are not visible, students may also find themselves navigating a disease that instructors or peers are not aware of or do not fully understand.

The AbbVie IBD Scholarship helps ease some of the financial pressure of postsecondary education, giving recipients more space to focus on their education, their health, and the futures they are working to build. "Postsecondary education is a time of growth, independence, and possibility. For students living with IBD, it also means managing the physical, emotional, and social challenges of a chronic disease during some of the most important years of their lives," said Tanu Misra, vice-president and general manager, AbbVie Canada. "As we mark 15 years of the AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program, we are honoured, alongside Crohn's and Colitis Canada, to recognize students whose determination and resilience continue to inspire us. Their achievements are a powerful reminder that IBD does not define what is possible for their future."

The 2026 AbbVie IBD Scholarship recipients are as follows: - Autumn Beemer, British Columbia, University of Alberta Clinton Shard Memorial Scholarship recipient - Aya Chapanian, British Columbia, Queen’s University - Mya Chàvez-Bourget, Quebec, Université de Sherbrooke - Thunder Crowshoe, Alberta, University of Lethbridge - Edden Gitelman, Quebec, Université de Montréal - Courtney Kates, Ontario, York University - Olivia LeBlanc, Nova Scotia, Dalhousie University - Hannah MacDonald, New Brunswick, Dalhousie University - Julia Rutenberg, Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University - Madison (Mady) Saby, Alberta, University of Calgary - Bethany Suen, Ontario, University of Toronto - Gayashan Tennakoon, Ontario, University of Toronto - Alexis Tremblay, Quebec, Université de Sherbrooke - Jonas Wong, Alberta, University of Alberta - Ethan Zahn, Ontario, Brock University

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 Canada is on a relentless journey to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by these diseases. Through research funding, advocacy, education, and patient programs, the organization advances care and support for people living with IBD.