Gaylyn Henderson, MPH

Experience

Gaylyn Henderson, MPH, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 14 and lives with a permanent ileostomy. She founded the organization Gutless and Glamorous with the mission of empowering those living with or contemplating ostomy surgery due to illness or injury. She also strives to erase the negative stigmas and misconceptions of having an ostomy.

Gaylyn volunteers her time with various organizations in her community. Gaylyn volunteers and serves on the IBD Social Circle and the Patient Advisory Board for Johnson and Johnson, Janssen Biotech, Inc. She serves as the ostomy and fashion editor for Companion Magazine for IBD. She serves as the patient representative for the Stenosis Therapy and Anti-Fibrotic Research (STAR) Consortium. Gaylyn also served on the Inaugural Patient Advisory Committee and is a social influencer for the National Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. She was awarded the first ever Catalyst for Online Community Engagement Award by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Gaylyn suffered for a very long time because of the stigma associated with living with an ostomy. She doesn’t want others to suffer because of the fear of being stigmatized for having an ostomy. She actively seeks out opportunities to highlight and feature ostomy awareness. She was featured in the groundbreaking Aerie by American Eagle 2018 Fall bra campaign and is now a featured model for Aerie.

Through the power of social media and her pioneering efforts, Gaylyn is recognized as a leading public and social figure raising ostomy awareness. Through Gutless and Glamorous, she aims to encourage and empower women and men living with an ostomy to love themselves for all that they are. Her ultimate goal is to help erase the stigma of having an ostomy once and for all.