Crohn's awareness month here

Imagine experiencing agonizing and debilitating pain that lasts for hours, months and even a year without a Doctor or Medical Practitioner being able to diagnose the cause. Imagine having up to 20 bowel movements, or false "urges" a day, yet still remaining undiagnosed. Imagine the impact on your work, the depression and anxiety that can result during an active flare of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These are just a few of the painful revelations that have been revealed in a recent survey of Canadians living with IBD, carried out by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC).

The survey, which polled more than 500 IBD sufferers during the fall of 2011, found that early diagnosis is key to ensuring less suffering and better long-term health for the estimated one in 160 Canadians living with Crohn's or colitis. In addition, lack of awareness about IBD among both the public and medical profession, has resulted in lengthy diagnosis waiting times.

An overwhelming 71 per cent of respondents waited for more than six months for a diagnosis after experiencing symptoms;

Nearly half of respondents (45 per cent) waited for more than one year for a diagnosis;

The majority of respondents (62 per cent) expressed that early diagnosis would have benefited their overall long term health.

Inflammatory bowel disease is comprised of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: two similar, yet distinct, conditions which cause intestinal tissue to become inflamed, form sores and bleed easily. Both Crohn's and colitis can flare up (an acute attack) at unpredictable times, and flare-up can last from days to months at a time.

During a flare-up, patients suffer from symptoms including abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue, frequent and urgent diarrhea and bloody stools. Additional symptoms include nausea, bloating, anaemia, joint pain, canker sores in the mouth, skin and eye irritations and weight loss.

More than 200,000 Canadians - an estimated one in 160 - live with IBD. More common than Multiple Sclerosis or HIV and about as common as Epilepsy, Canada has among the highest rates of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in the world and there is no cure, no known cause, and little public understanding of the pain, chronic suffering and isolation IBD patients courageously cope with every day of their lives. The cost to Canada's economy is on average more than $9,000 per year per patient.

"November is Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month and we want to help more individuals and Medical Practitioners identify Crohn's and colitis symptoms earlier," says Dr. Kevin Glasgow, CCFC's Chief Executive Officer. "People living with IBD too often face their conditions in silence and we want to encourage patients to speak up about their symptoms so that we can work towards quicker diagnosis times and earlier treatment."

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada is a volunteer-based registered charity dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, commonly referred to as inflammatory bowel disease.

Since its founding, CCFC has invested more than $71 million in IBD research, making the foundation a world leader in non-governmental funding of IBD research.

Canadian researchers funded by CCFC are conducting cutting edge research and are sustaining the hope for a cure worldwide.

For more information about CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca, for more information on Crohn's and Colitis Awareness month, please visit www.getgutsymonth.com.