Crohn’s Disease

I thought I’d take a break from all the financial talk that goes on in here and take time to promote awareness to an illness that is close to me and our organisation – Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

IBD consists of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. There are no cures and no explanations that give reason to how someone has it. More and more people are being diagnosed with this chronic disease as the affects are not easily detectable and only now some of the symptoms are clearer. Research indicates there are now over 61,000 Australians that have been diagnosed; mostly people in their mid teens through to their late thirties.

It is a difficult disease to manage. This is done either through diet, medication, or more drastic means like surgery. In some instances people can go through long periods of remission and then out of the blue have a ‘flare-up’ and the disease becomes active yet again.

At Companion Credit Union we have seen a number of our work colleagues or their family and friends affected with this disease and understand the difficulties that are faced. My wife has been diagnosed with Crohn’s for over 10years now and more recently underwent surgery to remove the disease. We have 2 young children (5 and 2) and there is always the fear that this will be carried through to them genetically, but you just never know!

Crohn’s and Colitis Australia (an association set-up by volunteers, formerly ACCA) has launched their annual Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week between June 22 – 28 this year with the theme being “Working with IBD”. For more information visit their site www.acca.net.au

If any Companion members or readers of this article would like to share their stories about this debilitating disease, please post your comments below. With the more support and education that can be generated the more hope there will be to try and find a cure.

Mark B.

June 22nd, 2009 | Leave a Comment »