Charity of the Month: Crohn's & Colitis UK

Crohn’s & Colitis UK are changing what it means to live with these lifelong, incurable gut conditions. Around one in 120 people in the UK have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, navigating life with an unpredictable condition that could flare up at any time. The impact can be devastating: plans turned upside down; work and education on hold; relationships and wellbeing under strain; dreams for the future paused. No one should face that alone. That’s where they come in.

Who are Crohn’s & Colitis UK?

They provide trusted information, support research, and lead bold campaigns designed to get people talking about Crohn’s and Colitis. Their aim is to transform people’s understanding of the conditions, build recognition around the conditions and bring together a community to drive change.

How many people live with Crohn’s or Colitis?

This year alone, 25,000 people will be told they have Crohn’s or Colitis. Once diagnosed though, the obstacles still continue. Today, there is no cure for these conditions, but Crohn’s & Colitis UK are working towards a future where anyone with the condition can live well, and a world where we don’t have to live with it at all.

The charity have some fantastic ambassadors to are working alongside them to raise awareness of the conditions including Strictly Come Dancing Professional Dancer, Amy Dowden who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at 19 years old, Olympic Champion, Sir Steve Redgrave, who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis before the Barcelona Olympics, and TV presenter Rylan who’s mother has Crohn’s Disease and has seen the true impact Inflammatory Bowel Disease can have.

What is Crohn’s and Colitis?

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). They can cause painful sores (ulcers) and inflammation (swelling) in your gut. Crohn’s and Colitis are lifelong conditions, which means you will always have the condition. But that does not mean you will always feel unwell. Treatment like medicines and surgery can help you feel alot better. There is another type of colitis called Microscopic Colitis. Crohn’s & Colitis UK offer a fantastic resource which goes into deal about the conditions, what they mean, treatments and how to get help which you can access here.

As our Charity of the Month for April, Leathes Prior are hosting a ‘Dress Down Day’ for staff to raise funds for the charity. We are also circulating key information to staff to help raise awareness and a better understanding of the condition and how it might impact them, a loved one or colleague.

If you would like to get involved, there are some fantastic resources available on their website on volunteering, events, donating and other ways to get involved which you can find here.