12/03/2025
A Heartfelt Thank You from the Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation 🌍💙
Today December 3, 2025, marks an unimaginable milestone: 15 years since the Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation, Inc. officially opened its doors in 2010.
What began as one deeply personal promise (mine—Andrew “Andy” Jablonski, a lifelong SBS patient born with almost none of my small intestine) has grown, because of all of you, into the leading patient-founded and patient-led voice for short bowel syndrome in the United States—and a home for thousands around the globe.
Every milestone, every late-night message answered, every breakthrough celebrated along the way… none of it happened alone. You walked it with me, and together we turned a dream into a global family that ensures no one with SBS ever has to face this road alone again.
From the very first days, I promised one thing: no one facing short bowel syndrome would ever feel as alone as I once did. That promise was sparked by a tiny Facebook group of maybe 30–50 people run by the incredible Emily Hoopes—her safe space lit a fire in me and became the inspiration for everything the Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation would become. Today, because of your trust, your shares, and your courage to speak up, our online support communities have grown into a thriving, 24/7 global family of more than 12,000–15,000 members across multiple platforms.
• Our Adult SBS Support Group is now the go-to place for thousands of grown warriors managing TPN, GLP-2 therapies, ostomies, fistulas, transplants, and the daily grind of living with 12 inches (or less) of bowel.
• Our SBS Families & Pediatric Group wraps parents and caregivers in understanding arms the moment they hear the terrifying words “your child has short gut.”
• Our International SBS Community connects patients and families in more than 40 countries—because SBS doesn’t care about borders, and neither do we.
• And one of our proudest creations: the SBS Mental Health & Wellness Group, a safe, moderated space where it’s okay to say “I’m struggling today.” Anxiety, depression, body image, caregiver burnout—here, those feelings are met with empathy, not judgment.
These aren’t just Facebook groups. They’re lifelines.
They’re the place where a newly diagnosed mom in Australia finds another mom in Canada who’s been exactly where she is at 3 a.m. They’re where a 22-year-old in the UK learns he can still go to college on TPN. They’re where tears turn into triumphs, and strangers become chosen family.
In these 15 years, we’ve also:
• Played a direct role in the FDA approval and global launch of Gattex® (teduglutide), making sure patient voices were heard every step of the way.
• Advised companies like Shire, Takeda, VectivBio, and 9 Meters Biopharma on real-world needs for new SBS therapies.
• Spoken at Digestive Disease Week, ASPEN, NORD summits, and international congresses to educate the medical world about life beyond the textbooks.
• Built strong, lasting partnerships with the Oley Foundation and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)—collaborating on education, advocacy, and resources so every home parenteral and enteral nutrition patient has the information and support they deserve.
• Created the SBSF CARES program, connecting families to intestinal rehabilitation and transplant Centers of Excellence.
• Launched an ever-growing Resource Library covering nutrition, mental health, insurance battles, travel tips, and school 504 plans.
None of this—literally none of it—would exist without you.
The donors who gave $5 when $5 was all they had. The moderators who answer messages at 2 a.m. The medical professionals who trust us with their patients. The parents who share their hardest days so someone else feels less scared. The adults who post “I weaned off TPN today” and give the rest of us hope.
You didn’t just support a foundation—you built a home.
As we turn 15, my heart is full. I wish I could thank everyone in person. Until then, please know this: every time you hit “share,” leave a comment, or simply whisper “me too” in one of our groups, you are changing—and saving—lives.
So on December 3rd, in the comments below, tell us your favorite SBSF memory or how this community has touched your life. Let’s flood this post with the proof that together, we are unstoppable.
Here’s to the next 15 years of breakthroughs, belly laughs, and unbreakable bonds.
With boundless gratitude and love,
Andrew “Andy” Jablonski
Founder & Executive Director
Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation, Inc.
🌐 shortbowelfoundation.org
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📸 Tag us in your anniversary posts—we can’t wait to celebrate with you! — feeling thankful.
Welcome to the Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation! A community resource for those who are living with or care for someone with Short Bowel Syndrome. The Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation was founded in December of 2010, as a resource to help patients, family members, and healthcare professionals learn ab...
