CROHN’S AND COLITIS AWARENESS WEEK
Every year on the week of December 1 through the 7, we observe Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness week. Both Crohn’s and Colitis are main forms of inflammatory bowel diseases, and are characterized by chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. There are a few key differences between the two, though.
Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in the digestive tract, which leads to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, unexplainable weight loss, and malnutrition. Ulcerative Colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the rectum and colon, and has symptoms like severe tiredness, anemia, bleeding from the rectum, sores on the skin, joint pain, and loss of appetite. Both diseases are extremely uncomfortable, and, though it’s not common, some people with these diseases can die from IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) related causes.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Use #myIBD or #CCAwarenessWeek to share your Crohn’s or Colitis story on social media if you are living with either one. If not, use the hashtags above anyway to post your support and to spread the word so that others take some time to learn about Crohn’s and Colitis. You can really make an impact by taking a couple of minutes to do so. IBD can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity, and it can have a negative impact on mental health as well as physical. Around 1.6 million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease; around 907,000 with colitis, and 780,000 with Crohn’s. There is no known cure for either disease, but the more we come together to spread the word, the closer we get.
HISTORY
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. This foundation supports Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week and hopes that all of us can raise enough awareness so that someday, a cure is found.
