This episode of Gut Matters features Johanna Ruddy and Dr. Andrea Shin interviewing Ruthie and Jessica, the founders of Belly Bestie Club, a community-driven supper club for people with IBS, celiac disease, and other digestive health conditions. They discuss how the club creates a safe, stigma-free space where attendees can openly discuss taboo topics while enjoying delicious, restriction-friendly meals together. Ruthie also shares details about Tuut, her upcoming symptom-tracking app designed to help IBS patients turn their daily experiences into actionable data for healthcare providers, emphasizing a holistic approach that captures diet, stress, sleep, exercise, and bowel movements in a user-friendly format.

In this episode of Gut Matters: Discoveries and Innovations, Johannah Ruddy, DHSc, Senior Director of Patient Advocacy at Ardelyx and Dr. Andrea Shin, practicing Gastroenterologist at UCLA are joined by patient advocate Katherine Wald, who shares her deeply personal journey living telling her story of IBS with constipation alongside multiple autoimmune and autonomic conditions. Katherine reflects on years of misdiagnosis, fragmented care, and the emotional toll of not being believed, while offering practical insight into how honest communication and self-advocacy can change the course of care. Dr. Shin discusses the realities of managing complex IBS-C cases and why coordinated, whole-person care is critical for improving outcomes. Together, the conversation highlights resilience, partnership with clinicians, and hope for patients navigating complicated digestive health journeys.

Gut Matters is produced by BloodStream Media and made possible by Ardelyx.

Content Producer: Mishu Nitulescu.

At Ardelyx®, we are dedicated to improving the lives of patients by discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class medicines that advance care to patients with unmet medical need. Learn more about us at Ardelyx.com

Transparency Statement: Gut Matters: Discoveries and Innovations is produced by Believe Limited and made possible by Ardelyx®.

The following Ardelyx®-supported program is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please speak with your healthcare professional before making any medical decisions.

On this episode of Gut Matters, we welcome Dr. Laura Williams, Chief Patient Officer at Ardelyx, to discuss the importance of patient advocacy in healthcare and drug development. Dr. Williams shares her journey from clinical practice to the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting how her experiences as a physician, advocate, and patient have shaped her approach to patient-centric care. The conversation explores the impact of patient insights on clinical trials, drug development, and building trust within patient communities.

At Ardelyx®, we are dedicated to improving the lives of patients by discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class medicines that advance care to patients with unmet medical need. Learn more about us at Ardelyx.com

Transparency Statement: Gut Matters: Discoveries and Innovations is produced by Believe Limited and made possible by Ardelyx®.

The following Ardelyx®-supported program is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please speak with your healthcare professional before making any medical decisions.

Gut Matters is produced by BloodStream Media and made possible by Ardelyx.

Content Producer: Mishu Nitulescu.