While the Penn State women's fencing team was losing to the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday, Jessie Burke, a sophomore epee fencer was in surgery.

The defending NCAA champion in epee discovered she has Crohn's Disease. Crohn's is the chronic inflammation of the intestines.

There is a genetic tendency to develop the disease, although there is no known cause.

There is also no cure for the disease, and though symptoms can be brought under control, there are often relapses.

She remained upbeat wearing the winning smile she always has while sitting in a bed in Centre Community Hospital with teammate Austin O'Neill by her side.

"The pain was so excruciating," Burke said as she rubbed her abdomen.

Burke and O'Neill discussed fencing strategy and toe touches like they were back in the White Building.

After the duals on Saturday, Penn State fencing coach Emmanuil Kaidanov spoke candidly about the absence of Burke.

"I felt her absence," Kaidanov said. "Not just as a fencer, but as a person and as a leader. She brings competitiveness to the team."

"It was difficult," said foil fencer Charlotte Walker.

"It didn't matter that she wasn't competing but when you look over and she's not there, you think about it."

Burke sought help from Penn State sports medicine doctor Martha Pyron on Wednesday morning.

"It scared the daylights out of me," said Greg Burke, Jessie's father.

He proceeded to hop in his car and immediately drive to State College to see his daughter.

He didn't have a change of clothes.

As of Sunday afternoon, he had yet to leave the confines of the hospital, let alone the town of State College. After an examination, she was admitted to Centre Community with abdominal pain, fever, and nausea.

What was thought to be a short hospital stay turned into a longer ordeal than expected. She was ordered to stay overnight.

"I was psyched," Jessie Burke said. "It's hard to go home and feel the same pain without all the people there. At the hospital, you have someone to care for you."

Steroids and morphine have made her last few days less painful.

"When you don't feel any pain, you start to think it's all better," Greg Burke said.

Impending treatment will consist mostly of ant-inflammatory drugs called corticosteroids.

Greg Burke estimates Jessie's discharge in three to five days.