Thursday, 19 May 2016

World IBD Day

Today is the 19th May and that means one thing...it's World IBD Day!!
This year Crohn's & Colitis UK have made it their mission to highlight the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses, as they make such a great difference to patients' lives.

I remember when I met my first IBD Nurse back in 2009 at Chelsea and Westminster. Her name was Stephanie and she was the support I needed at a time when it seemed like my whole world was about to change. She spoke to me like a person - not just a hospital number - and understood that there was an emotional side to my diagnosis and that it was important to know she was there if and when I needed her. Her role for me at the time included everything from a long conversation at my appointments, ending them with that reassuring squeeze; right up to sending her a text message when I wasn't sure if I was A&E worthy with one of my many abscesses.

I'm now in a fortunate position again where at my current hospital there are a team of Specialist IBD Nurses, with a dedicated phone number should I have any queries about my care or condition. But I know I'm one of the lucky ones to have these amazing people at my disposal. There are countless IBD patients who are yet to experience how beneficial Specialist IBD Nurses can be.

According to the Crohn's & Colitis UK website, across the UK there are at least 100,000 people with IBD that don't have access to a Specialist IBD Nurse. With 63% of IBD services in the UK unable to meet the needs of everyone affected.

"[Specialist IBD Nurses] are a lifeline, providing vital information and support in the most appropriate way for each patient. The care they deliver is invaluable and they help hundreds and thousands of people cope with this devastating disease. We need to shout loudly the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses to ensure more patients have access to them."

Their campaign 'More IBD Nurses - Better Care' still needs a few signatures to reach their goal of 1000 people. Please take a look and if it matters to you, please sign!

There are around 300,000 of us in the UK, and millions more around the world living with IBD: we need to use #worldIBDday to continue to spread awareness and make a difference where we can.

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Across the UK, at least 100,000 people with Crohn’s and Colitis don't have access to a Specialist IBD Nurse and 63% of IBD services in the UK don't have enough Specialist Nurses to meet the needs of everyone affected. - See more at: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/world-ibd-day#sthash.VPtKm7VK.dpuf
That’s why we’re asking you to go purple on World IBD Day, Thursday 19 May, to help raise awareness of the 300,000 people in the UK, as well as millions more around the world, who are living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
This year we also want to tell everyone about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses who make such a big difference to patients’ lives.
Across the UK, at least 100,000 people with Crohn’s and Colitis don't have access to a Specialist IBD Nurse and 63% of IBD services in the UK don't have enough Specialist Nurses to meet the needs of everyone affected.
They are a lifeline, providing vital information and support in the most appropriate way for each patient. The care they deliver is invaluable and they help hundreds of thousands of people cope with this devastating disease. We need to shout loudly about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses to ensure that more patients have access to them.
By joining our 'More IBD Nurses - Better Care campaign, you'll be lending your voice to call for better access to Specialist IBD Nurses, meaning better care across the UK.
- See more at: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/world-ibd-day#sthash.VPtKm7VK.dpuf
That’s why we’re asking you to go purple on World IBD Day, Thursday 19 May, to help raise awareness of the 300,000 people in the UK, as well as millions more around the world, who are living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
This year we also want to tell everyone about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses who make such a big difference to patients’ lives.
Across the UK, at least 100,000 people with Crohn’s and Colitis don't have access to a Specialist IBD Nurse and 63% of IBD services in the UK don't have enough Specialist Nurses to meet the needs of everyone affected.
They are a lifeline, providing vital information and support in the most appropriate way for each patient. The care they deliver is invaluable and they help hundreds of thousands of people cope with this devastating disease. We need to shout loudly about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses to ensure that more patients have access to them.
By joining our 'More IBD Nurses - Better Care campaign, you'll be lending your voice to call for better access to Specialist IBD Nurses, meaning better care across the UK.
- See more at: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/world-ibd-day#sthash.VPtKm7VK.dpuf
That’s why we’re asking you to go purple on World IBD Day, Thursday 19 May, to help raise awareness of the 300,000 people in the UK, as well as millions more around the world, who are living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
This year we also want to tell everyone about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses who make such a big difference to patients’ lives.
Across the UK, at least 100,000 people with Crohn’s and Colitis don't have access to a Specialist IBD Nurse and 63% of IBD services in the UK don't have enough Specialist Nurses to meet the needs of everyone affected.
They are a lifeline, providing vital information and support in the most appropriate way for each patient. The care they deliver is invaluable and they help hundreds of thousands of people cope with this devastating disease. We need to shout loudly about the importance of Specialist IBD Nurses to ensure that more patients have access to them.
By joining our 'More IBD Nurses - Better Care campaign, you'll be lending your voice to call for better access to Specialist IBD Nurses, meaning better care across the UK.
- See more at: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/world-ibd-day#sthash.VPtKm7VK.dpuf
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Monday, 19 May 2014

#WorldIBDday

Happy World IBD Day to you all!

19th May is a day to be loud and proud (if you're not already) about all things Inflammatory Bowel Disease!

Helping raise awareness...encouraging donation to Crohn's and a Colitis UK... It all goes towards the goal of finding that illusive cure - and if not? Just helping make people's lives a little bit easier through sharing knowledge is ace. Ace to the face. To the face of the pesky disease.

I'm sure my followers would have seen my contribution for the day:


I've essentially pimped this photo out all over the world wide web today; getting sick of my own face! But it doesn't matter as SHARING IS CARING.

It's also great to see the camaraderie emphasised on days like today within the IBD community. I'm already a member of a number Facebook groups, including #GetYourBellyOut and The Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Diaries, to name a few. To be honest I think the latter is based in the US? But geographical location is irrelevant when there's someone sitting at their computer screen reading and understanding what you have to say about your disease.

I saw on Facebook that Crohn's and Colitis UK had received well over 200 photos today similar to mine. So good!

And this is why I told people at work that today was World IBD day. Why I made sure I blogged and shared all things IBD today. Why I welled up when I saw people sharing my posts and photo. Because it's important.

It's important to fellow IBDers to know that we're not clubbed together under 'taboo diseases', that it's something that can be talked about. And it's important to me that people know what in the blaze can happen when you have IBD - and if they can't understand, just that they at least kind of know what it is.

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If I haven't rambled enough........!

THIS SUNDAY is our 10k run. Balls.

My arthritic knee is crumbling and my body is massively running on empty. But I will complete this race come rain or shine - but preferably rain, what with the menopausal hot flushes and burning palms.

And if running lets me down, then I could always gallop my way through (we all know I love Miranda, the number one advocate for the gallop)

As per, would appreciate any support as it all goes back into the Crohn's and a Colitis UK pot of wonderfulness!

www.justgiving.com/harrietsgotcrohns 

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