NEW YORK — In just three months since the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America launched a new interactive Web site, the Crohn’s and Colitis Community (www.ccfacommunity.org), more than 25,000 people of diverse backgrounds and ages have visited and over 1,200 people have joined this online peer support community. Launched to meet the dynamic needs of patient groups, it serves as a free resource to provide patients and families with the vital peer support they need to manage Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s and colitis are painful and chronic diseases that affect 1.4 million Americans. As many as 150,000 children under the age of 18 suffer from these diseases. While the foundation invests in research for better therapies and prevention, it recognizes the need to offer support and resources to its patients today.
"Through ccfacommunity.org, patients, family members, and healthcare professionals from around the country and abroad, who share the common thread of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are able to instantly go online to join discussions and post stories—enabling them to offer and receive critical support and share their powerful stories on an unprecedented level," says Kimberly Frederick, vice president of patient and professional services for the foundation. "These interactions are inspirational to site visitors who are all coping with the ups and downs of living with these diseases."
One such person who recently joined this new interactive Web site is 40-year-old Crohn’s patient Liz Molloy. This Wauconda, Ill., resident was the site’s 1,000th registered visitor. Using the site to find information and resources, she participated in the new community feature to connect to others facing similar struggles.
"Sometimes, living with inflammatory bowel disease can be very isolating, and it helps to communicate with others who have the same struggles," says Molloy, who recently had her first surgery. "It is important to hear what other people with these diseases are experiencing, and so I found it very helpful to go on the discussion board and read about others who have also had surgery and the types of issues they have had to deal with post-surgery."
Since the site initially launched in March 2008, more than 100 people have posted their exceptional stories about living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The site’s search function makes it easy to quickly find stories by specific topic, disease, gender, and age. Users can also participate in the site’s online discussion board, consisting of eight forums (newly diagnosed, travel, treatments, managing symptoms, everyday living, emotional wellness, surgery, and Comparta en español).
This valuable resource was made possible through an unrestricted grant from Abbott Immunology, to better help users get the support they need in managing IBD. The foundation advises users to always check with their personal physicians before taking any action regarding their health.
Source: CCFA