Lincoln Man with SBS Fights Back, Gives Back

By: Owen Jensen - Email

Updated: Thu 7:31 AM, Feb 07, 2013

"Almost all but 4 inches of my small intestine had died." -Andy Jablonski, Short Bowel Syndrome Patient

Click HERE for a link to the Short Bowel Foundation website

A Lincoln man who was born with Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) has turned the tables on his rare condition, by helping others who suffer from the same disorder.

His name is Andy Jablonski. When he was born, he almost died right there, just moments after entering the world.

"Almost all but 4 inches of my small intestine had died," said the 26 year old Jablonski.

Two years ago, Jablonski, fresh out of college with a business degree and a vision, decided to turn his life's challenge into his life's passion.

"I'm a medical miracle is what it turned out to be," said Jablonski.

Jablonski started the Short Bowel Syndrome Foundation, which helps educate people about the rare condition. It also provides networking opportunities for patients and their families, helping them gain access to information about SBS.

Andy, who weighs about 100 pounds and says he can easily eat more than three thousand calories a day, without gaining weight, knows the challenge his foundation faces: money.

Like any non-profit, his is always in fundraising mode. And that presents huge challenges.

At the same time, he's also working with an east coast pharmaceutical company to market a drug (Gattex) designed, (and recently approved by the FDA,) to treat SBS patients.

And like the sign on his office wall at Southeast Community College in Lincoln says, Andy is following his dreams of helping people.

Andy was also recently the subject of a New York Times Article that discusses the drug, Gattex.

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