June 23, 2005
A 2004 Olympic champion visited the University of Virginia Medical Center today to speak about how she is fighting a debilitating disease.
Colleen Lanne, a 2004 silver medalist in swimming, showed off her accomplishment to children in the hospital that. She won despite her debilitating disease.
She also spoke with a support group about ulcerative proctitis, or Krone's Disease, a serious inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, that she's had since 2001.
Lanne said although she no longer swims competitively, she tells people to take her advice and never let obstacles bring you down.
"Learn as much about that particular diseaseas as you can, and then move forward because if your always thinking about it, it's going to hold you back. That's the last thing anyone wants to do is be held back in life, whether it be disease, or whatever your challenge is," said Lanne.
Lanne is currently on tour with the makers of the drug company produces the drug that controls her disease.
