Staff Writer

While Kennebunk High School seniors celebrated their year of “lasts” – last first day of school, last home game, last concert, and last dance – Elizabeth Hand was dealing with a first. 

After two trips the emergency room in November, the high school senior was hospitalized for two weeks and diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that inflames the lining of the digestive tract and causes severe diarrhea and abdominal pain. Since then, Hand said she has undergone six surgeries, with a seventh scheduled later this month.

“Elizabeth was thrown a curve ball,” Kennebunk High School Guidance Councilor Karen MacGregor said. “She handled it with grace, courage and flexibility. A year ago, when everybody was talking about college her expectations became different.”

Like her classmates, Hand said she sent applications to the University of Maine in Orono, University of New Hampshire and University of Rhode Island. She was accepted at two of the three for early decision, but said she decided about a month ago to take a year off.

“My health still isn’t at a great point,” Hand said, adding that the disease affects her differently each day. 

During her junior year, Hand said she began feeling ill and underwent medical tests, but was told it was “just a virus.” About a month before her diagnosis, she said she felt “really crummy.” Some of her worst days include symptoms such as extreme exhaustion, severe stomach aches and an overall “yucky” feeling. 

“It’s been hard because it’s senior year and everyone’s doing their own thing. My friends have made a huge effort to be there for me. One said, ‘We’re never going to know what it’s like to have your disease, but we’re here for you,’” Hand said. 

There’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, but Hand said she hopes to feel better and reapply to colleges for fall 2010. In the meantime, she said she still is learning about her diagnosis.

“Crohn’s is different for everyone. You can’t base your patterns off of other people. You have to know yourself and what reacts with you and what doesn’t,” Hand said. 

With the support of her parents, Ann and Jeff, her sisters, Laura and Kathryn, the family dog and some close friends, Hand participated in the Take Steps Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis last weekend, and raised $800 as a group.

Together, the walk raised $46,000 for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. The foundation’s goal for the walk was to build visibility and awareness about the diseases and raise funds for research to help more than 1.4 million American adults and children who are affected. 

“I didn’t get a chance to talk to a lot of people, but knowing they were all there and their support was real inspirational,” Hand said.

“Having my family there is what’s made this a lot easier.” 

Despite struggling with her health, Hand said she stayed involved in school, writing for the school newspaper, participating in Young Women’s Lives discussion group and working at the elementary school as an instructor for the after-school program, Healthy Kids Club. Hand also finished her internship with Middle School of the Kennebunks art teacher Mary McCarthy.

“I’m considering studying art education in college. It was fun to be behind the scene of what an art teacher does,” Hand said. 

She anticipates watching her friends leave for college will be difficult, she said, but she plans to continue staying busy. 

Hand said she enrolled in psychology and interior design courses at York County Community College, and plans to continue working and volunteering. 

“I can explore [my options] and be here and focus on my health at the same time. I want to keep busy and explore what I’m interested in,” Hand said. 

Despite her setback, Hand said the thought that she finished her last classes at Kennebunk High School Monday was “so weird” to her, and the idea of putting on a cap and gown and stepping up for her diploma Sunday is “really surreal.”

But as Kennebunk High School graduates turn their tassels from right to left Sunday, Hand wishes her fellow classmates “congratulations.”

“Don’t underestimate your strength. With something like this you can pull through,” Hand said. “You don’t think anything like this could ever happen to you, but just remember you can do it.”

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.