Tiffany Barboza

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seamed with scars.” Tiffany Driscoll Barboza (born Tiffany Melissa Driscoll) entered the world on April 16, 1982 in Adak, Alaska. In kindergarten, Tiffany determined that she was a genius, and it turns out that she was right. Tiffany was always highly motivated and excelled in school. When it came time for college, she earned an appointment to the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point, though she was ultimately unable to attend. Tiffany began her undergraduate studies at Baylor University, where she also started playing water polo competitively. She transferred to the University of Houston to pursue better opportunities and better apply her genius within the field of physics; this decision paid off when she was selected to present for NASA’s World Space Congress in 2002. While at U of H, Tiffany continued playing water polo, earning a spot on the Houston All-Star team, eventually graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in both physics and math. As a rare woman within her field, Tiffany was recruited by the top schools in the country for her graduate studies, including Cal Tech, but chose the more student-focused Louisiana State University. At LSU, she studied computational fluid dynamics, receiving her Masters of Science in Physics as well as an unofficial Masters in Tiger Football. She continued her studies, pursuing a PhD, and while also working as a research assistant and instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. After her diagnosis with Crohn’s Disease, Tiffany shifted the focus of her research to medical physics, hoping to eventually attend medical school (in addition to the PhD) in order to help find a cure for Crohn’s and Colitis. She was working on her dissertation in discrete hydrodynamics, but Tiffany ultimately got too sick to complete her PhD and had to leave the program. This was probably the toughest decision of her life. At LSU, Tiffany met the love of her life, Carlos. The two were married on February 16, 2012 in Baton Rouge, LA, and had a spectacular ceremony and reception on their first anniversary in Houston, TX. Tiffany and Carlos built a loving family together that included three papillons who were always adoring and always deeply adored. Despite all that the disease took from her, Tiffany’s indomitable spirit pushed her to use it as a vehicle to help others. She conducted research on colon cancer stem cells and other topics with a team at Oschner Health System in New Orleans under Dr. David Margolin, that was eventually published in medical journals; she started her own website/business (nosolidsdiet.com) to provide healthy and delicious recipes for those suffering from severe gastrointestinal disorders; she actively participated in blogs and online forums for those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, and reached out and developed an international network of “crohnies” and other disease sufferers; she acted as a counselor for Camp Oasis, a summer camp for kids afflicted by Crohn’s and Colitis; and she continually supported the work of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Tiff also enjoyed baking, and habitually made beautifully designed cakes and cupcakes for her friends. Tiffany was probably the strongest person any of us will ever know. She has been described as a “force of nature”. She was brilliant, quick-witted, and hilarious, with a gift for finding the humor in everything, even poop… especially poop. She would often put the needs of others above her own. After an eight-year long battle with Crohn’s Disease, Tiffany died in her home on February 10, 2014 with her beloved husband Carlos by her side. She was 31 years old. Tiffany is survived by her husband Carlos Eduardo Barboza; their babies, Sassy, Isis, and Callie; her parents, Daniel and Cynthia Driscoll; her sister, Nicole Driscoll; her maternal grandmother, Roberta Keating; and her paternal grandmother, Alta Woodhouse; she was preceded in death by her doting ‘Papa’, William Keating. Tiffany’s brilliance and fighting spirit will live on through all those whose lives she touched as well as through the continued research of the CCFA (ccfa.org). The Addison family and staff extend our heartfelt condolences to the Barboza family in their time of loss.