IBD in the Workplace Survey by CCA

I received this e-mail yesterday from Crohn's and Colitis Australia and thought I'd post it here for others to see and possibly complete. 

Important Survey for all members living with IBD

IBD in the Workplace 

 

Employment stability and security are issues on everyone’s mind in this current climate, and even more so if you suffer from a chronic illness such as IBD. Over the years, we have received many calls from members who were confused about their rights and obligations in the workplace. CCA has heard too many stories from people who suffered discrimination at work due to their condition.

 

In response to this, our 2009 National Crohn’s & Colitis Week Campaign will focus on the workplace, employment issues, and challenges faced by people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. 

To help support this year’s important public awareness campaign, it is necessary for CCA to gather strong, credible data. To achieve this, we have developed an online survey to give our members the opportunity to be heard. 

 

The only participation requirement is that you are over 16 years of age, and have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. If you are a carer for someone with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, please encourage them to complete the survey.

 

The survey can be accessed at http://www.ibdsurvey.com and will take approximately ten minutes to complete.

 

Please complete the survey by Sunday 24th May 2009

Your support is extremely valuable. It is only through sharing your experiences and challenges that we are able to raise awareness and improve the lives and employment opportunities for people living with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.

The information gathered from the research will be used to;

·         Raise public awareness through various media outlets

·         Influence employers and governments to establish supportive and fair work environments for people living with IBD

·         Assist with targeting our communication and media campaign

·         Help create an understanding of Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, and dispel some of the misconceptions.

The survey is completely anonymous, and being completed by our research consultants StollzNow Research. Your answers are covered by the Market and Social Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act and the Market and Social Research Society Code of Professional Behaviour.

If you have any questions about the survey and its purpose, please call Crohn’s & Colitis Australia on 1800 138 029. If you have any technical questions or problems with the survey, please call StollzNow Research on 1800 010 543.

Thank you for your support and participation, your contribution is greatly appreciated.

Australian Crohn's & Colitis Association ABN: 42 082 747 135 

PO Box 2160 Hawthorn VIC 3122 AUSTRALIA Ph: 03 9815 1266

Crohn's Crusaders

I love reading about people who have Crohn's who embark on amazing physical fundrasing feats to raise money and awareness. I like it because some days I struggle to get of the couch, so know other people not only manage it, but go that extra mile encourages me to do that little bit extra. I also find it really hopeful. Having Crohn's doesn't have to mean that your life is over, it doesn't mean that you can't keep on keeping on. Of course I like it because it raises awareness and money, which brings us ever closer to that elusive cure.

So below is something I discovered earlier today and thought I'd share it with you. The article was posted at Melbourne Cyclists website, but do check out Damian's website "The Crohn's Crusaders" too.

Cyclist Damian Watson is about to endure the ride of his life. The 31-year-old South Melbourne man is planning to cycle the 2009 Tour de France route to help find a cure for Crohn’s disease.

Damian, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2002, will set off from Monaco on 4 June 2009, one month before the official start of the Tour de France. His ‘Crohn’s Crusader’ cycling team will follow the Tour’s gruelling 3,500km route through Monaco, France, Spain, Andorra, Italy and Switzerland. He hopes his ‘Tour’ will raise much needed funds for research into Crohn’s disease. All funds raised will benefit Crohn’s & Colitis Australia™ in finding a cure for Crohn’s disease.

Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. They cause inflammation, ulcers and bleeding in the digestive tract and other serious complications that require surgery. Severe and sudden bouts of diarrhoea and crippling pain can lead to malnutrition and poor growth in children. There is currently no cure and the cause is unknown. Damian hopes to see this change within his lifetime. Damian was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in April 2002. He manages the condition as best he can via a healthy diet and regular exercise. Damian is determined to use his healthy-time to make a positive difference and lead the conversation in finding a cure.

“The whole idea of the project is to raise funds and awareness for Crohn’s Disease. I aim to raise $100,000. This amount will fund a six-month research project to help find a cure for Crohn’s,” Damian said. “I aim to raise awareness via the e-newsletter subscribers so that there is a better understanding of the condition and awareness of how debilitating it is to live with Crohn’s disease. While I am determined to complete the course, if I don’t make it, I won’t see that as a failure. As long as I can achieve the above goals I will consider the project to have been a success.”

As part of his mountain training schedule, Damian recently clocked up more than 1000kms in Victoria’s Alpine region. Although describing the climbs around Falls Creek and Mt Hotham as “miniscule” compared to what he will encounter in Europe, Damian said it is good uphill training and assisted his preparation for the event.

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia™ Chief Executive Francesca Manglaviti said: “As Damian gears up for his own amazing challenge, he’s helping to raise awareness about the challenges that people face as they live with Crohn’s disease. He is an inspiration to people living with this illness everyday. Damian is passionate about helping to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and we wish him all the best on the ride.”

Damian has developed the Crohn’s Crusader website www.thecrusaders.com.au where supporters can donate directly to Crohn’s & Colitis Australia™ and register to receive email updates of the Crusaders progress during the ride.