Nearly 180,000 Australians live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—a lifelong, invisible condition that many are too ashamed to talk about. This May, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia is urging the nation to #ShattertheIBDSilence and confront the stigma head-on.
The recently released IBD State of the Nation in Australia report lays bare the reality:
91,000+ people are living with active IBD right now
1 in 3 waited over a year to be diagnosed
41% took more than 5 years to get their disease under control
Only 16% access a psychologist, and 23% a dietitian
People with IBD spend an average of $5,900/year out of pocket
The total national cost: $7.8 billion in 2025
And yet—IBD is the only chronic disease in Australia with zero funding for patient support.
We’re calling for urgent action: better access to care, life-changing treatments, and investment in research. This month, let’s shatter the silence — for good.
Promotional Material
Download, print, distribute or share on social media these Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Month resources during May.Click on the images to download them
Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Month
Poster
Download, print, distribute or share on social media these Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Month resources during May.
We know that many of CCA’s supporters love to fundraise and raise awareness of Crohn’s and colitis in their community or workplace at this time of year.
If you’d like to raise awareness of IBD in your own community or do your own fundraising activity this May, visit our fundraise page.
We’re incredibly grateful for the efforts of our fundraisers to help support people with IBD.
Don’t forget to capture your fundraising event or activity and send us your photos and stories.
We’ve produced exciting new laptop and bumper stickers that are now available for purchase. Created in collaboration with the CCA community, these designs are perfect for personalising your laptop, car or notebook while showing your support and raising awareness around IBD.
This year, over 120 sites, landmarks and buildings across Australia will light up in purple as a show of solidarity for the IBD community. By coming together on this day, we can spark meaningful conversations about the realities of living with IBD. This plays a crucial role in improving care, raising awareness, and reminding everyone that they are not alone. It’s a chance for us to advocate for better care and raise awareness, while continuing to break down the stigma surrounding IBD.
Sites by state
ACT
Canberra
Old Parliament House, Treasury, John Gorton Building, National Carillion
We invite you to join us by sharing your photos from the night with us! Email us at [email protected] or tag us on social media with hashtags like #WorldIBDDay2025 #ShatterTheIBDSilence #FlushTheStigma and #crohnsandcolitisaustralia.
Thank you for showing up and speaking out!
Shine A Light @ Home!
Help raise awareness locally by lighting up your house or garden purple.
Hang purple fairy lights in your garden, like these one from Bunnings
Change your porch light to a purple globe or program your smart-globe to shine purple for the night
Don’t forget to share your photos on social media and tag us using the campaign hashtags #FlushTheStigma #WorldIBDDay2025 #ShineALightonIBD
Share your Story
#FlushTheStigma around inflammatory bowel disease this May. It takes guts to talk about Crohn’s and colitis. Help CCA overcome the stigma surrounding IBD by being fearless in starting conversations and sharing stories about Crohn’s and colitis.
