Open-door event for patients and public to beat the blushes – and talk
An open event is being held at the new Allam Digestive Centre, Castle Hill Hospital(Image: Humber Health Partnership)
Stomach issues, toilet troubles, call them what you will, the digestive system is still an area of health which many people feel embarrassed to talk about. At the same time, around half a million people in the UK alone are thought to be affected by Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in some form, so gut problems are far more common than people may think.
Tuesday, May 19 marks World IBD Day, so to promote better understanding and get people talking, hospital staff from Hull are planning to throw open the doors to the public. The event will enable people to see inside the new Allam Digestive Centre, at Castle Hill Hospital, to meet some of the staff involved in IBD care and hear from the experts.
Professor Shaji Sebastian, consultant gastroenterologist and clinical lead for the IBD Hull service, said: “IBD is an umbrella term for several different problems related to the digestive system, including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. IBD can cause a range of physical problems such as stomach pain, fatigue and diarrhoea, but it can also impact a person’s life in other ways, including their ability to work or even leave the house for fear of not having a bathroom nearby.
“Despite advances in treatments and growing awareness, we still find that people don’t always feel able to come forward when they’re struggling with stomach or bowel issues. That embarrassment can prevent people from seeking the help they really need in a timely fashion.
“The aim of our event is to provide a safe space where people can come along, ask questions, meet our staff and learn about IBD without any need to feel uncomfortable. Hull has a strong international reputation as far as IBD research goes too, so we’ll be talking to people about the work we’re doing to research various conditions, to trial new treatments, and discussing opportunities to get involved.”
The World IBD Day event will run from 1pm to 3.30pm in the Allam Digestive Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham (entrance 1), when a range of speakers, including patients currently living with IBD and members of the clinical team, will talk in more in detail about issues such as developing IBD in later life; why IBD is on the increase globally; progress made over the last two decades; and a patient’s experience of taking part in IBD research.
The event is free, and while there is no formal need to book a place, organisers are keen for people to indicate their attendance using this Eventbrite link.
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