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PRESS RELEASE
Webcast Teaches Crohn's & Colitis Patients How to Build a Personal Support Network, Find Local Resources, Cope with Stress and More
Tips for Creating a Support Plan, Establishing a Medical Proxy and Approaching Friends and Family for HelpNew York, NY—August 18, 2008— Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong diseases that can be challenging at times and require emergency care. For those without a personal support network in place to help carry out the task of obtaining what you need when critical situations strike, coping with these illnesses can be difficult. To provide sufferers with the tools they need to establish such a group of friends, family, and coworkers, experts from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) were invited to co-guest on 'Tips for Building a Support Network,' an interactive information-rich webcast through HealthTalk.com. The webcast can be replayed online through www.ccfa.org.
The web-based presentation features insight and helpful advice from two CCFA experts who assist individuals in finding the right resources to help them deal with their illness and provide suggestions on reducing stress, managing depression, and sustaining employment.
"The most important thing any inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patient or caregiver can do is create a care plan for handling periods of flare or emergency," said Kimberly Frederick, MSW, LCSW, vice president of Patient and Professional Services for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. "During these problematic times, patients may not be able to do their everyday activities for themselves, like taking one's kids to school, personal care, household chores, and so on. A plan helps you ensure someone is going to be there to take you to the hospital or to see your gastroenterologist, or even call your employer, and cook you dinner."
The webcast provides a wealth of information and resources on a variety of support topics, including the following, and more:
• Establishing a medical proxy who is authorized to make medical decisions on your behalf
• How to access and maintain your personal medical records
• Online and telephone resources for finding local CCFA chapters as well as support groups, buddy programs and even insurance and financial assistance
• Web-based 'physician finder' databases to locate a specialist near you
• How to approach and select potential support-network members
"When you go to a doctor's appointment, it is always helpful to have a personal journal or notebook listing your questions and concerns and to take someone from your support network with you who can help you ask important questions and document the answers," said Jacquelyn Spencer, MSW, manager of the CCFA Information Resource Center.
The Foundation's Resource Center can be accessed online at http://www.ccfa.org/irc?LMI=2 or via telephone at 888.MY.GUT.PAIN.
About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35. About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 81 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org.
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Media Contact:
Ariella Levine
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
646-943-7430
alevine@ccfa.org
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