When 14-year-old Spencer Lane was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease he found a unique way to cope with the frequent symptoms and interruptions to his schoolwork. Spencer and his parents decided to enroll him at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center, a nearby campus of the Old Dominion University.

Rather than slowing down, this kid is speeding up and tackling a tough problem head on. He’s smart enough to keep up in college level courses, but is enrolled part-time in order to manage his symptoms.

Besides his smarts and determination, Spencer is also an activist. Last year Spencer raised more than $6,000 for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.

Changes to his diet have reduced the vomiting that is common with the disease. More important than any conventional treatment is the fact that setting goals has allowed Spencer to push through a difficult circumstance and define himself by what he can accomplish, and not by the disease he has.