Trust, Plain Language & Patient Navigators — A Conversation with Stephanie A. Wynn

In this episode

You’ll meet Stephanie A. Wynn—Crohn’s survivor, Certified Patient Leader, and author of Navigating IBD: A Six-Week Blueprint for Better Gut Health. Misdiagnosed six times and shaped by profound loss, Stephanie turned pain into purpose with the IBD Patient Navigator® Program, a culturally responsive model that helps underserved patients access care, understand options, and advocate with confidence.

If you work in pharma, research, or care delivery, you’ll hear exactly how to rebuild trust, use plain language that drives adherence, and invite patient experts into design from day one.

Guest Bio

Stephanie A. Wynn — Crohn’s disease survivor; founder, Stephanie A. Wynn Foundation; creator of the IBD Patient Navigator® Program; Certified Patient Leader; author of Navigating IBD. Her work bridges education, trust, and access for patients—especially in communities historically overlooked in GI care and research.

Key Topics

• Why mistrust persists—and practical steps to earn it back
• Plain-language communication as a predictor of adherence
• Patient navigators: closing the gap between clinics and real life
• “Clinical research” vs. “clinical trials”: words that open doors
• Representation in IBD research: gender and racial gaps that affect outcomes
• Financial access: patient assistance programs patients aren’t told about

What you need to know

If you design IBD pathways, studies, or support programs, this episode gives you a clear, human checklist: earn trust, speak plainly, offer options early, and invite navigators into the plan.

About Merakoi

At Merakoi we see patients as co-creators, not numbers. Our mini-community model embeds diverse patient experts alongside life-science teams to shape trials, content and digital therapeutics from concept to launch. Ready to swap one-dimensional journey maps for stories that move hearts and markets? Let's chat!