The

Team

Let's introduce you to

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Rita Francis
President & Treasurer
Rita is a certified midwife currently completing her masters degree and an IBD caretaker since 2000. She supported crohn’s disease patients through severe conditions and battles for 20 years. Rita’s goal is to improve IBD warriors’s quality of life and ease their pain.
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Caroline Chalhoub
Vice President
Caroline is a positive, enthusiastic, caring, and passionate Performing Arts instructor and caretaker of IBD patients in her family. She has been supporting her loved ones through their IBD challenges for several years. Caroline is very keen to raise awareness and help warriors fight the disease with a positive outlook. Together we can make a difference and hopefully contribute in finding a cure.
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Lina Skayem
General Secretary
Lina is a biochemist, consultant in the healthcare sector, and an IBD gladiator since 2009. Enthusiastic, strong and passionate, Lina is seeking to spread awareness and to support all IBD warriors. She advocates raising our voice because she believes that “we are partners in health”.
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Sarah Zaidan
Digital Marketing
As the graphic designer of I Battle Disease, Sarah brings over 12 years of experience to her role, combining creativity with technical expertise to support our organization’s mission. Her passion for visual storytelling and a keen eye for design drive her to create impactful and meaningful graphics that effectively communicate the crucial work of our NGO. Collaborating closely with our team, her goal is to inspire action, convey hope, and contribute significantly to the positive change we seek in the world.
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Dima Haidar
Communications Officer
Dima is an ambitious Engineering doctorate student and IBD warrior since 2011. She survived a long excruciating battle with Ulcerative Colitis and is currently taking on life with her J-pouch every day at a time. Dima is hoping to spread positivity and to help other warriors through their IBD journey. Embrace your tragedies and let’s fight this disease together.
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Dr. Hazem Khalil
General Consultant
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Cesar El Khoury
Co-Founder
Maître Cesar is our NGO Lawyer and IBD warrior since 2011. He has been able to fight Ulcerative Colitis for many years with the help of medication and the guidance of his doctors. Cesar hopes this association will contribute in finding a cure for IBD and help in leading a normal life.
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Dr. Ala’ Sharara
Medical Advisor
Gastroenterologist and Professor of Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center and Consulting Professor at Duke University in Durham, NC, USA. He is the recipient of the Golden Jubilee Clinical Research Excellence Award from the Lebanese National Council for Research in 2012. He is the Coordinator of the IBD Interest Group in the Lebanese Society of Gastroenterology, which developed the national guidelines for treatment of IBD. He is a co-investigator on a number of clinical trials in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. He is a passionate and a consummate advocate of patients with inflammatory bowel disease and was a driving force in the foundation of the IBD patient advocacy organization I Battle Disease.
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