Miss Universe Canada contestant Sara Levitt hopes to be the first winner with Crohn's disease: 'A difference can be a superpower'
Sara Levitt and her life-saving ostomy bag are front and centre at the 2025 Miss Universe Canada pageant. On Aug. 9, the 30-year-old model will compete against 70 other delegates while raising visibility for people living with Crohn's disease.
It isn't the first time Levitt and her ostomy bag — a pouch attached to the abdomen that collects bodily waste — have received wide scale attention. The Montréal-born model has walked New York Fashion Week and appeared in Maxim Australia with her bag proudly on display.
Yahoo Canada spoke to Levitt about living with a chronic illness, competing in Miss Universe Canada and more.
'I was fighting for my life'
Levitt has been battling Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) for the majority of her life. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of three, and by the time she turned 11, her condition had progressed to Crohn's Disease. The next two years were some of the 'most intense and challenging' of her life, filled with severe chronic pain and countless hospital stays.
Advertisement
'I was fighting for my life,' she said. 'It was a really dark time and I felt completely alone and ashamed.'
In 2008, at the age of 13, Levitt underwent an emergency surgery to have part of her bowel removed. She was left with a permanent ostomy bag, a device she wears on the outside of her body that collects her stool.
Levitt was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease as a child. (Image courtesy of Sara Levitt)
Going into the surgery, Levitt wondered how she would adapt to living with an ostomy. She dreaded what it would be like to have to carry physical evidence of her illness on her body each day.
Unfiltered conversations with the names you know: Unapologetically is a Yahoo Life series in which people get the chance to share how they live their best life — out loud and in colour. Every week, check back for a new feature.
'There was a piece of me that was hoping I'd wake up and the bag wouldn't be there,' she said. 'When I woke up, I took my right hand, slid it down my hospital gown, and there it was.'
Liv-ing out loud
Levitt is upbeat and positive about life with an ostomy, but she wasn't always this way. The first 15 years that followed her ostomy surgery were difficult and dark, and she dealt with her new life alone and with shame. She avoided wearing anything that would reveal her ostomy, she hid her bag from romantic partners and she lived in fear of other peoples' opinions.
Advertisement
For Levitt, the lack of representation for ostomates — people who have undergone ostomy surgery —contributed to her feeling alone.
After years of suffering in silence, Levitt decided she'd had enough; she knew she deserved to live her life to the fullest just as much as anyone else.
'It got to the point where I was just so physically and mentally drained,' she said. 'In summer 2023, I had a bit of an epiphany and I was like, 'I feel really confident in who I am and I've been through a lot and I'm ready to just be me.''
At the time, her Instagram was a personal account for friends, family and acquaintances. But after posting the photos, comments and messages began to pour in from other people with chronic illnesses who wanted to express gratitude for what she had done.
Advertisement
The response showed Levitt how great the need was for advocacy and representation from ostomates, so she kept posting. Her community grew, and today she has 35,000 followers on Instagram, where she calls herself 'The Bag Bish.'
Levitt has named her ostomy bag "Liv" which means "life" in Swedish. (Image courtesy Sara Levitt)
She now wears her ostomy — which she named Liv ('life' in Swedish) — with pride, donning bikinis and dresses that intentionally show off the bag that saved her life.
" It's all about me and Liv living our best lives and showing others not to fear ostomy life,' she said. "It's about showing people you can have dreams and having a difference can be a superpower.'
She regularly receives messages from people who say she's inspired them to wear a certain outfit that reveals their ostomy or to partake in an experience they would've otherwise avoided, and she does her best to respond to as many as she can.
It's about showing people you can have dreams and having a difference can be a superpower Sara Levitt
'To know that I have that ability to alter and change somebody's views and enable them to live their life completely and fully with a visible difference or a chronic illness has given me so much purpose in life,' she said. 'That alone is fuel to my motivation and every single thing that I do.'
It's in the bag
In May, Levitt announced she was participating in the Miss Universe Canada pageant this August. She'll be the first ostomate, and first woman with any visible difference to compete. In a post to Instagram, Levitt said her hope was to help show "other woman our challenges do not define us, but merely give us an additional source of strength, and that there is space for us all."
Sara Levitt is the first woman with a visible difference and ostomy bag to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant. (Image courtesy of Sara Levitt)
For her humanitarian project for the pageant, she's raising awareness and funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association, a cause she described as deeply personal to her journey. Her health issues s took a serious toll on Levitt's own mental health for many years, and she hopes to shine a light on how chronic illnesses impact every aspect of a person's life — including their mental health.
Advertisement
Research shows that psychiatric disorders are 1.5 to 2 times more prevalent in those with IBD than in the general population, and rates are even higher when considering standalone mental health symptoms, as nearly one-third of individuals with IBD experience elevated anxiety symptoms and one-quarter experience depression symptoms.
'Hopefully I'm able to inspire and touch someone through sharing my story,' she said. 'Just being on that stage and being able to show my community, 'Look where we can go, look what we can do,' it's like we've already got the crown.'
Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 minutes ago
- CBS News
Minnesota sees sedative overdose spike: "Naloxone isn't going to help"
By WCCO reporter Ashley Grams The Minnesota Department of Health issued a health advisory last week warning of an increase in overdose cases involving sedatives. Data collected by the department's Minnesota Drug Overdose and Substance Use Surveillance Activity (MNDOSA) project shows just one overdose case where the sedative xylazine was detected. That number jumped to 53 in 2024. Now, the state is tracking another sedative emerging in the drug supply. "Medetomidine, it has been seen in other parts of the country," said Deepa McGriff, the department's epidemiologist supervisor. "It is a veterinary sedative that's not approved for human use, and in 2025 we started to see more detections." The state's Public Health Laboratory started tracking medetomidine in 2024 and this year has seen 12 cases. "Here in Minnesota, we are somewhat insulated, initially, from new substances as they emerge, maybe on the East Coast or West Coast," said Jason Peterson, who supervises the chemical threats and bio monitoring units at the Public Health Laboratory. Peterson says medetomidine was "starting to grow" out on the East Coast. "They do take delays in a lot of times in entering our state, but we are mindful of that and we are mindful of the patterns where drugs typically flow across the country," he said. This increase in sedatives is a dangerous reality for drug users across the state. "Certainly for the subset of people that we work with that are using substances, we do see these things come through," said John Tribbett, the service area director for Avivo's ending homelessness division. "We are at a point unfortunately where you never know what people are getting, and what they end up putting in their body. Tribbett said all of Avivo's teams are trained in overdose reversal. The state's health advisory warns that these sedatives "significantly complicates the treatment of overdose patients." McGriff says the department wants the community and first responders to understand that sedatives may be a factor in an overdose, and how that can impact treatment. "If there's a sedative involved, the Naloxone isn't going to work to reverse that unresponsiveness," McGriff said. "We want to emphasize the need to focus on restoring the breathing of the overdose patients, rather than restoring the consciousness." McGriff said an opioid reversal drug like naloxone should still be used in these cases. Tribbett believes the emergence of medetomidine is a reflection of policy aimed at restricting xylazine. "What we see time and time again is a crackdown on one particular chemical, and then something emerges to replace it," Tribbett said. Some states have made an effort to limit access to xylazine in recent years, including Pennsylvania, which classified xylazine as a Schedule 3 drug. Minnesota's health department says data is still limited when it comes to medetomidine, but awareness is important — something Tribbett agrees with. "Making people aware, helping our teams have the information they need, helping people in the community know what's out there," Tribbett said.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Silent Symptom of Poor Gut Health That Most People Miss
The Silent Symptom of Poor Gut Health That Most People Miss originally appeared on Parade. You may be too tired to get through your day, have a general lack of energy, struggle to concentrate or just feel blah most of the time. Fatigue is relatively common, and it can be caused by a number of lifestyle habits or health issues. Poor gut health may be a contributing factor to fatigue. However, experts are still working to understand the exact relationship, explains , a gastroenterologist and chief of endoscopy at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. 'The science is still very much evolving.' Fatigue refers to 'extreme tiredness,' and may encompass trouble concentrating, a lack of motivation, depression, low energy, anxiety and weakness, according to the Cleveland Clinic. About 13.5% of American adults said they feel 'very tired or exhausted' most days, according to a 2022 National Center for Health Statistics survey. Here's what doctors want you to know about fatigue and gut health, and when to see a doctor. 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 The Symptom of Poor Gut Health That's Often Missed Some studies have connected dysbiosis, or an imbalance in your gut microbiome, with certain types of fatigue, Dr. de Latour says. Researchers have also found differences in the gut microbiomes of people with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to people who don't have the condition. 'Gut health is closely tied to energy regulation,' says Dr. Aubrey Grant, MD, a sports cardiologist at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C. And it's likely a two-way relationship. Related: The 3 Most Important Things Your Poop Reveals About Your Health, According to Gastroenterologists The gut microbiome influences inflammation, nutrient absorption and neurotransmitter production, he explains. 'Dysbiosis can lead to systemic inflammation, altered metabolism and disruptions in serotonin and dopamine pathways, all of which contribute to fatigue.' Probiotics (like yogurt) and anti-inflammatory foods (such as fruits and vegetables) are good for your gut microbiome and are also known to boost energy, Dr. de Latour says. So if you don't typically eat these items, you might feel fatigued. Gut Health Conditions That May Cause Fatigue If your fatigue is linked to gut health, you'll likely experience other symptoms, too, Dr. Grant says. These may include bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, appetite changes, unexplained weight loss, nausea or bloody stool. Many conditions can cause fatigue, but Dr. de Latour says an important one to note is anemia, which is when you have low levels of red blood cells, and your body isn't making enough new blood cells normally. Related: The #1 Habit to Help You Poop Better When anemia is caused by iron deficiency, she says, 'We worry about small amounts of invisible blood loss from a tumor or large polyp in the gastrointestinal tract.' In these instances, Dr. de Latour says doctors may do an endoscopy procedure to examine your GI tract. Conditions like celiac disease can lead to iron-deficiency anemia because it causes small bowel inflammation, impacting your ability to absorb iron, she explains. Inflammatory bowel disease may also cause anemia. Irritable bowel syndrome, chronic gastritis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may also cause fatigue due to nutrient malabsorption, chronic inflammation or immune system activation, Dr. Grant says. When to See a Doctor If you're dealing with fatigue and worry it may be related to your gut health, Dr. de Latour says there are some other 'red flags' to watch for, including iron-deficiency anemia, blood in your stool, changes in your bowel habits or stool and weight loss. It's especially crucial to note these symptoms if you have a family history of colon cancer, she adds. Related: You Should Never Sit for More Than This Many Minutes When You're Pooping When you're experiencing fatigue that persists beyond a couple of weeks and any of these other symptoms, see your doctor, Dr. Grant says. They'll likely do blood work and possibly an endoscopy to identify any issues in your GI tract, Dr. de Latour says. Up Next: Sources: Rabia de Latour, MD, a gastroenterologist and chief of endoscopy at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Aubrey Grant, MD, a sports cardiologist at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C. Fatigue, Cleveland Clinic QuickStats: Percentage* of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Felt Very Tired or Exhausted Most Days or Every Day in the Past 3 Months,† by Sex and Age Group — National Health Interview Survey,§ United States, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis: Triggers, Consequences, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Options, Microorganisms Studies find that microbiome changes may be a signature for ME/CFS, National Institutes of Health The Silent Symptom of Poor Gut Health That Most People Miss first appeared on Parade on Aug 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
35 minutes ago
- CBS News
Penn doctor calls RFK Jr.'s cuts to mRNA vaccine research bad for science
The scientific community is criticizing Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he announced he's cutting millions from research for the technology that created the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine technology, mRNA, was created in Philadelphia. Researchers said it has broad potential to fight many infections and possibly even cancer. But Kennedy disagrees. "mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits," Kennedy said in his announcement on Tuesday. "As the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don't perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract," he added. But many in the scientific community dispute that, saying the technology first used to create the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. "It certainly did decrease mortality associated with COVID. They're also using it for potential treatment of cancer. To no longer fund this research is not a scientific approach," Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, the president of the American Medical Association, said. "It's not a step forward in science," he added. mRNA technology works by getting the body to produce a fragment of a virus, which then sets off the body's immune response. Unlike traditional vaccines, which can take years to develop, mRNA is fast. "We can very quickly design new mRNA vaccines to be specifically matched to what's circulating," Dr. Scott Hensley, of the University of Pennsylvania, said in 2024. CBS News Philadelphia spoke with Hensley, an immunologist at Penn, last year when the mRNA was being researched for bird flu. He called Kennedy's decision to cut funding bad for science on Wednesday. "Science is what moves the world forward," Dr. Drew Weissman, a doctor at Penn, said in 2023. Hensley and Weissman were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 for discovering how to modify mRNA. In announcing the research funding cut for mRNA, Kennedy said the money would go to what he calls better vaccine research. Kennedy said his focus is on a universal vaccine that mimics "natural immunity." Doctors said people need to understand that this cutback will not impact the vaccines that are currently available.
