‘I’m so happy I was given this opportunity’
When Sem (28) was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2021, she had already been experiencing severe symptoms for a long time. She had intense abdominal cramps and lost a lot of blood. She tried several different medicines. Sometimes they helped for a short while, and sometimes they did not help at all. Desperate for a solution, Sem requested a second opinion at Amsterdam UMC in 2025. She was immediately given the opportunity to take part in the OmiCrohn study. “I’m doing so well now!”
Sem works full-time and exercises a lot. “I thought that was why I was always so tired.” In September 2025, her health started to get worse. She often had to cancel plans at the last minute. Sometimes she did not dare to leave the house because she needed to use the toilet so often. “That wasn’t the life I wanted.”
Taking part in OmiCrohn
After she was referred to Amsterdam UMC, Sem was immediately invited to take part in OmiCrohn. In this study, artificial intelligence (AI) helps doctors choose a medicine. “The study sounded promising. I was interested to see whether AI could select the right medicine for me. Nothing I had tried up to that point had helped enough.”
Tests and results
Sem first underwent several tests. She had ultrasound scans, blood tests and an endoscopy. She then had to wait two weeks for the results. “I didn’t mind that. At the other hospital, I sometimes had to wait a month for test results. So two weeks didn’t feel long, especially if it meant that the right medicine could be selected.”
The medicine works well
According to the AI results, Sem was most likely to respond well to ustekinumab. “I received the first dose through an infusion. After that, I had an injection every eight weeks.” Sem noticed a difference after only one week. “The constant urge to go to the toilet suddenly disappeared. My stools also looked normal again. For the first time, I no longer worried about whether there was a toilet nearby.” This gave Sem the confidence to do more things again.
“A party on a boat without a toilet was finally no longer a problem. I now only have blood loss occasionally. I also have a little more energy than before.”
Good results
Sem recently had another endoscopy. She has now completed the six-month OmiCrohn study period. “The results of the endoscopy and my blood tests were good. I was so happy.”
Sem can continue using the medicine. She will still be monitored as part of the study over the coming period. Every three months, she will have a blood test and complete a questionnaire.
Would recommend taking part
Sem is pleased that she was able to take part in OmiCrohn.
“I’m so happy I was given this opportunity. It helped me straight away. I would encourage other people who are offered the opportunity to take part to give it a try.”