Meet Vanessa! In January of 2007 she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), a rare but aggressive disease in pediatric patients. She has been in and out of St. John’s many times due to flare ups, routine colonoscopies, and blood transfusions. At the age of 15, Vanessa stands out through her laughter, smile and friendliness to everyone she meets. She is also a sophomore in high school and plays on her high school’s tennis team!