SEATTLE -- With the Seattle Storm ready to tip-off another season, their new addition Lexie Brown is ready for a fresh start after her own battle. She was diagnosed in 2023 with Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune illness that affects the digestive system. After undergoing multiple surgeries and taking different medications, Brown is completely healthy prior to this season. Thanks to the support of her teammates and the Storm medical staff, she is ready for a new beginning while focusing on winning a WNBA championship.

During the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Sparks, Brown often felt out of shape and fatigued, which caused concern for her. When she found out about her diagnosis, she felt relieved to know the cause of her symptoms, and she prepared for the road ahead.

“When I was first dealing with symptoms and surgeries, it was only a matter of time until I got the official diagnosis,” Brown said before Seattle’s 79-59 win against Connecticut. “By the time I got the diagnosis, I had already done my research, and just to feel the relief of okay, now we can take our next step moving forward as far as treatment and medication.”

After the symptoms of her disease affected her performance on the court, she knew she needed a consultation. While Brown was reassured to know her diagnosis, her teammates shared the same feeling. Her current teammate, Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (NEH-kuh oh-gwoo-MIH-kay) felt comfort in knowing the cause of what she was experiencing while they were teammates on the Sparks. She mentioned how Brown persevered through a lot of struggles, and how happy she was to know the reason why she was not feeling well.

“(Brown) was playing through a lot of things that someone (like her) shouldn’t have been, but she persevered,” Ogwumike said. “We tried to support her as best as we could, so once she got a hold of (her symptoms), I knew she would be fine.”

As she handled the news of being diagnosed with Crohn’s, Brown had the support of her teammates with a long road ahead of her. While she dealt with her illness, Brown better understood her body's capabilities as an athlete. She talked about the different things she did to take care of her body and her mental health as she dealt with Crohn’s. 

“Prioritizing my mental health (was important because) one of my triggers is stress-related,” Brown said. “(I spent more time) taking care of my body, not pushing myself too hard like I used to, and being okay with maybe taking a day off or two when I needed to.”

By prioritizing her mental health and being okay with taking breaks, she was able to get back to full health faster. Crohn’s disease affected her digestive system, so she had to prioritize what she ate and where different bathrooms were until the process became second nature.

“(I became) more aware of things I’m eating and just staying on top of (my health) as it goes to the back of my mind,” she said. “I have to be aware of where bathrooms are at all times, and I have to make sure that I don’t eat certain things when I’m not at home or around a bathroom.”

In dealing with Crohn's disease, Brown became more aware of different things she never thought she would have to deal with before. Her biggest struggle was having to miss basketball because of her ongoing battle. To help her teammates and coaches better understand why she missed practices and games, she talked about how Crohn's made her feel worse than she appeared.

“The thing about having an autoimmune disease is people can’t physically tell that something is wrong,” Brown said. “(I was) dealing with that conversation with friends, family, and teammates (who couldn’t) see what I was dealing with and how I was handling it. I made an effort not to look as bad as I felt.”

The more she conveyed her condition to her loved ones, the more they understood that her symptoms were invisible. Now healthy and with the Storm, Brown views this season as a fresh start both on and off the court.

“We had conversations when the trade first happened, and I told them I was good,” Brown said. “They set me up with some amazing doctors up here in Seattle, and they’re taking care of me.”

When the Storm traded for Brown, they made sure to set her up with the best resources so she could focus on basketball. With Seattle competing for a championship this year, Brown is eager to help them in any way she can.