To mark World Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Day on Sunday the Malta Association of Crohn’s and Colitis (MACC) is holding a display of posters in the foyer of Mater Dei Hospital until Tuesday. IBD is comprised of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The main aim of the display is to increase awareness about these two conditions and to provide help and support to sufferers of IBD.
Apart from the above display and also to coincide with this special event, the association’s annual general meeting will be held at the main hall in the parish centre of Santa Marija parish church, Birkirkara, tomorrow at 7pm. This year’s AGM will also include a special presentation titled ‘Coming to terms with IBD: More on psychological issues and self-help tools’ and will be presented by Jason Copperstone, counselling psychologist and principal psychologist at the Clinical Psychology Department at Mater Dei.
It is estimated that IBD affects five million people worldwide. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis directly affect the digestive system and cause intestinal tissue to become inflamed, form sores and bleed easily. There is no cure, no known cause, and little public understanding of the pain and chronic suffering which IBD patients cope with every day of their lives. Following discussions held in 2009 among IBD patient organisations from 27 countries from four continents, a decision was taken to start celebrating World IBD Day annually on May 19.
The main objectives of World IBD Day are to convey a sense of global solidarity for IBD patients; to highlight global IBD patient numbers and issues to the media; to encourage patients to contact and take part in their national association activities; to increase awareness among health professionals of the national Crohn’s and colitis patient organisations; to work with the professional healthcare societies and organisations; to set up a World IBD Patients Day website with links to IBD organisations; and to prepare an outline global vision and mission policy statement primarily about research, treatment, IBD related personal issues, jobs and education.
The main aims of the local association are to offer support to persons and relatives of persons suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (IBD), to help them improve their quality of life and to promote public awareness about these chronic conditions. It also intends to promote patients’ needs and rights and to encourage and promote research.
For further information or clarification regarding MACC and this activity, one can contact MACC on e-mail: info@macc.org.mt or access the MACC website on http://www.macc.org.mt or 9930 3964 or Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaltaAssociationOfCrohnsColitis.