Cassie Bonnett isn’t going to let her illness prevent her from doing something she loves.

Bonnett, senior in performing arts, has been involved with the ISU dance program, including “Barjche,” for several years. However, her involvement was halted when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in September 2002.

“Crohn’s disease affects a lot of people differently,” Bonnett says. “It affects some people as more of a wasting disease, which includes vomiting, but luckily I don’t have that kind.”

According to the Mayo Clinic’s Web site, www.mayoclinic.com, Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. About seven out of every 100,000 people are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

Bonnett says she did not have any symptoms when she was diagnosed. Eventually, though, the abdominal cramping became more painful. “I couldn’t walk or stand upright,” she says.

Bonnett has been sick since August 2003. Doctors discovered Bonnett had abscesses, or swelling, that contained fluid in her abdomen.

“I was in this constant pain,” Bonnett says. “They found three or four little abscesses in my stomach, and they said it was one of the worst cases they had seen.”

Bonnett began taking Remicade, an infusion therapy that neutralizes a protein produced by the immune system known as tumor necrosis factor. The Mayo Clinic Web site says Remicade finds the tumor necrosis factor in the bloodstream and removes it before it causes the intestines to become inflamed.

“It takes two and a half hours for the treatment to drip,” Bonnett says. “It was given once every four weeks, and I did it three times.”

Due to her health, Bonnett was unable to rehearse last semester for “Barjche.” She still helped out at practices, and even did some choreographing.

“It was difficult not to be able to dance,” Bonnett says. “I just had to talk my cast through the dances I choreographed.”

Amy Martin, artistic director of “Barjche”, says Bonnett kept a positive attitude through it all.

“She was always at rehearsals watching, making suggestions for choreography,” Martin says. “She was determined to get well so that she could participate in “Barjche” as a dancer and a choreographer.”

One of the things Martin says she admires most about Bonnett is her ability to crack jokes about her illness and her openness to talk about it.

One week after “Barjche,” Bonnett says she became sick and had to seek further medical help. Doctors found the abscesses had returned. However, Bonnett’s doctors initially did not want to do surgery.

“They said once you start taking things out, you keep doing it,” Bonnett says.

However, Bonnett’s condition became worse.

“I had chills and a fever, I couldn’t eat anything,” Bonnett says. “I spent 11 days in the hospital.”

The doctors eventually decided to do surgery on Bonnett, and they removed part of her intestines.

“I was supposed to go on spring break,” Bonnett says. “Instead I went into surgery.”

Bonnett is now recovering from her surgery. She says she will be unable to participate in any dance for the rest of the semester.

Bonnett says she does not look at the negative aspects of her illness and tries to focus on what positive opportunities the illness has given her. For example, Bonnett has decided to major in dietetics as well as performing arts.

“It was almost sort of a calling that my illness led me to,” Bonnett says. “I became interested in healing naturally.”

Bonnett says she hopes to be able to educate others on more natural approaches to healing.

Although she is on the road to recovery, Bonnett says she isn’t quite there yet.

“I will start taking Remicade again in the next year,” Bonnett says. “It will just be constant medication and trying to keep up with everything.”

Martin says Bonnett has the determination and support to get through her illness.

“I think Cassie has handled everything quite bravely,” Martin says. “She has kept an optimistic outlook for the most part and refused to just lie down and give up. Her family has been very supportive, and together they have faced the disease head-on.”