A young Squamish resident and university student has been honoured with a scholarship given to those who have made a difference in the fight against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Clinton Shard, a second-year business student at Capilano University, is one of seven recipients of Abbott IBD Scholarships across Canada, officials with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada announced in a statement issued on Oct. 29.

Shard was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 12 and has faced the challenge presented of living with a chronic illness. The illness’s severity caused him to miss school time as he spent weeks and even months at a time in hospital. “He was still determined to keep up with his studies and maintain an A average so that he could reach his goal of attending university,” foundation officials said.

At 16, he decided to show others who struggle with IBD that anything is possible. Joining the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society (IDEAS), he reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa.

Canada has among the highest rates of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world, and about 25,300 people in British Columbia live with IBD. The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories sponsors the IBD scholarships.

For more information about the CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca