Jake Diekman, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 10. For most of his teenage years, Jake's symptoms subsided and he pursued his athletic passions, golf and baseball. Jake continued to play baseball in college and was later drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007.

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It wasn't until his 2014 offseason that Jake's ulcerative colitis flared up and caused him to lose 20 pounds in just over two weeks. During this experience, Jake came up with his personal mantra
"Gut It Out." He's used this phrase to persevere through the obstacles his health presented and  to put into perspective that someone out there has it worse.

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In 2017, Jake underwent three operations at Mayo Clinic for a surgery commonly referred to as "J-Pouch" surgery. Few professional athletes have dealt with a similar surgery; the most notable athlete case is former San Diego Chargers kicker Rolf Benirschke in 1979. Jake’s personal mantra ‘Gut It Out’ was never more relevant than it was during his recovery process, as he persevered through his physical symptoms and mental anguish to return to the mound.

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Jake Diekman and his wife, Amanda are the founders of the
Gut It Out Foundation. Since 2015, Jake and Amanda have shared
their journey – both as a patient and caretaker. They have welcomed endless opportunities to interact with the IBD community, online and in-person. They have found it mutually rewarding to interact with others in the community to become a source for information, empathy and reliability.

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Jake and Amanda's goal is to bring people together, connecting patients and families, to raise a community where people aren't afraid to talk about the good and the bad of IBD.