Father Dennis Donovan, SDB

2009 Great Comebacks™ Award Recipient, South Region 

“You must do your best to take care of yourself, and then you’ll be able to help others,” said Father Donovan (left). “I refuse to let my Crohn’s disease define my life and am blessed to continue my life’s work and serve youth in need.”

Father Dennis Donovan, SDB, knew his life’s purpose from an early age – to work with underprivileged youth – and pursued it with a joyful passion through church and service activities as a teenager in West Nyack, NY. However, he never imagined that Crohn’s disease would rattle his faith and leave him questioning his ability to serve others when he could barely take care of himself.

After high school, Dennis Donovan joined the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Catholic order that ministers to the needs of young people, and eagerly began his journey to become an ordained priest. Four years before ordination, the symptoms began, followed by his diagnosis two years later, at the age of 27.

Over the next twenty years, the ravages of the disease – stomach pain, cramping, diarrhea, swollen and painful joints – chipped away at the once cheerful and optimistic young priest. Gradually, he gave up the things he loved to do: hiking, biking, ice skating and traveling. In denial, he threw himself into work but the symptoms only intensified. Feeling useless to the very people who turned to him for help, he slipped into deep depression, suffering from mood swings and anxiety attacks that left him struggling with work, relationships and even his sanity.

Then, at age 47, following the advice of a new doctor he met, Father Donovan underwent ileostomy surgery and experienced a complete metamorphosis – physically, psychologically and spiritually. Feeling better than ever, Father Donovan quickly regained his positive attitude and embraced life again. He moved to Tampa, FL, where he helped transform a failing school into the flourishing youth-focused facility, Mary Help of Christians Center, where he currently serves as Director. He also resumed his active lifestyle and has a blast taking youth groups on hiking, biking and boating trips.

Today, Father Donovan, 55, says that he has been able to accomplish more in the past eight years with his ostomy than in the previous twenty years without it. “You must do your best to take care of yourself, and then you’ll be able to help others,” said Father Donovan. “I refuse to let my Crohn’s disease define my life and am blessed to continue my life’s work and serve youth in need.”