Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our recent focus group for people living with IBD for over 30 years or aged 60 years and above.

The focus group was run as part of our Consumer Education and Awareness project, which looks to expand CCA’s existing resources based on the needs of our community. There were so many amazing discussions and great ideas for how CCA can better support older people with IBD.

Stay tuned as we work to improve our resources in the coming months!

CCA at GENCA conference

It was fantastic to connect with so many IBD nurses at the GENCA (Gastroenterological Nurses College of Australia) Conference, held from 15–17 May in Adelaide.

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia was proud to host a booth at the heart of the event, alongside other not-for-profits.

The power of collaboration was on full display when Wayne Massuger presented key insights from our IBD State of the Nation Report during a plenary session—sparking valuable conversations around the future of care.

You can click here to read the IBD State of the Nation report.

Board appointment

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Associate Professor Réme Mountifield to the Board of Directors at Crohn’s & Colitis Australia.

A/Prof Mountifield is a distinguished Australian gastroenterologist based at the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. She serves as the Clinical and Research Lead for the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Service at Flinders Medical Centre and is an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University. With a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with Honours from the University of Adelaide (University Medal), a Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and a PhD in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases from Flinders University, A/ Prof Mountifield brings extensive expertise in gastroenterology.

We’re thrilled to welcome her to CCA’s board and look forward to the expertise she will bring. 

Awareness Month 2025 recap

This May, we came together as a community to recognise Awareness Month 2025, united by a shared goal: to shatter the IBD Silence. Together, we amplified the voices of those living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, raised awareness, and pushed for better care and outcomes. Thank you to everyone who took part – your support made a real impact.  Every story, every donation, and every show of support helped shine a light on the 180,000 Australians living with IBD. 

But awareness doesn’t end here. Together, we must continue to push for earlier diagnoses, better care – to hopefully achieve a future free of IBD.

Visit our Awareness Month page to learn more about Awareness Month 2025!

Youth fun day featuring AFL superstar Jake Waterman

Watch 9 news coverage of Crohn’s and Colitis Australia’s Youth Fun Day featuring special guest AFL superstar Jake Waterman.

Held at Cahoots Adventure Camp in Perth this past Sunday, the event brought together young people under 18 living with IBD and their families for a day of fun, connection, and support. The event also offered parents the chance to speak directly with health professionals from Perth Children’s Hospital, gaining valuable advice and answers to their IBD related questions.

It was a fantastic day, with families enjoying the activities and the opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences.
You can watch the full coverage by 9 News below.

Notice Of 2025 Annual General Meeting

Notice is given that an Annual General Meeting of the ACCA trading as Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA) will be held online via video conference on Monday 26 May 2025 at 7pm AEST.

If you are a financial member of CCA attending the meeting or wish to provide an apology, please register online using the form below.

Please click the button below to download the notice of meeting.

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Please enter your details below. Registered members who fill out this form will be contacted via email closer to the date of the AGM with the full meeting agenda and details of how to access the meeting via video conferencing.

Please note non-members will not be permitted to attend the meeting.

Registrations close 20 May 2025

For any enquiries regarding the AGM: 03 9815 1266 (option 0)

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia Flush the Stigma While we Flush the Loo

SYDNEY, 01 MAY 2025: In time for May, which is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness month, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA) have launched a nationwide convenience advertising campaign via media agency, Houston Group. Also aligning with World IBD day on 19th of May, the campaign will see a series of ads in bathrooms around Australia highlighting key symptoms to help educate Australians that might be unknowingly suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Collectively across 30 sites, the newly launched campaign is set to reach 5 million visitors per week throughout the 9 week
campaign.

In the recent State of The Nation Report published by CCA, it was revealed that the incidence of disease is rising globally, with Australia at the forefront of the trend with growth expected to outpace similar nations. In Australia alone, incidence has risen from 100,000 to 179,420 Australians living with IBD in 2025. The report also showed that IBD patients often face prolonged delays before receiving a proper diagnosis, with just over one in ten enduring symptoms for more than five years before being diagnosed. These findings show the need for increased awareness nationally.

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia CEO, Leanne Raven said: “It is important for us to Flush the Stigma around IBD, so when the opportunity arose to work alongside Houston Group to create a convenience marketing campaign across the back of toilet doors, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to
raise awareness.”

The newly developed creative materials from Houston Group feature various real people from the CCA community who are living with IBD. Harrison Kefford, aged 30 who is living with Crohn’s Disease, is one of the five people living with IBD being featured within the new campaign. He commented: “Living with Crohn’s disease has taught me the importance of visibility and support. I’m proud to be included within this campaign with Crohn’s & Colitis Australia because it helps to start conversations and remind others like me that they are not alone.”

These newly developed advertising materials will be showcased across 30 venues, all with several bathrooms displaying the ads across Universities and Airports nationwide. Some notable mentions include University of Sydney, RMIT University in Melbourne, Brisbane Domestic Airport and Sydney’s Domestic Airport in Qantas (T3) and Virgin (T2) terminals. Collectively across the 30 sites, 5 million weekly visitors will be reached.

CEO of Houston Group, Stuart O’Brien commented: “Convenience advertising allows us to meet Australians in real, everyday moments – where we can cut through and connect on a personal level.” He continued, “Working alongside Crohn’s & Colitis Australia on this campaign allows us to use media for good and normalise conversations around IBD to drive much-needed awareness across the country”.

The out of home advertising campaign goes live from [today/30th April], across 30 venues nationwide for the duration of 5 weeks.

Campaign Credits:
Agency: Houston Group
Stuart O’Brien: CEO & Founder
Vivienne Gibson-Thomas: Executive Strategy Director
Alex Creamer: Creative Director
Nathan Wren: Senior Designer
Tori Fraser: Account Manager
Isabella Carrano: Account Coordinator
PR: Maven PR

Proudly Supported By:
Platinum Sponsor: Pfizer
Gold Sponsor: Johnson & Johnson
Silver Sponsor: AbbVie, Dr Falk Pharma
Bronze Sponsor: Takeda

NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, please contact:
Mia Borg | Maven PR | [email protected] | 0413 801 187
High res imagery is available here.

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review Implementation Advisory Group (IAG), convened on the 10th of April for its first face to face meeting since the release of the final report by Federal Health Minister Mark Buter last September. Yet, more than 2.5 years after the HTA Review commenced and six months since its recommendations landed, Australians are still waiting for the government willing to act.

Crohn’s and Colitis Australia CEO, Leanne Raven, told Health Industry Hub, “One of our members recently told us he is incurring unaffordable medicine costs because he needs double dosing of a PBS medicine to keep him in remission for the first time in the last 4 years.

As a young person in his twenties, he is having to pay $1300 dollars for the extra dose per month. How can he afford to find $15,600 per annum to remain in remission and avoid flares leading to emergency department presentations and hospitalisations?”

You can read the full piece here (noting it’s only available to subscribers): Patient advocacy groups demand end to HTA reform delays as election nears – Health Industry Hub

SYDNEY, 17TH APRIL 2025: As the federal election approaches, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA) supported by Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA), Dietitian Crohn’s Colitis Australian Network (DECCAN), Crohn’s Colitis Cure, Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) and Gastroenterological Nurses College of Australia (GENCA) are urging the public to join our call for urgent government action to improve care for the nearly 180,000 Australians living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) – a chronic, debilitating condition that disproportionately impacts young working-age Australians and costs the economy billions each year.

In response to the State of the Nation in IBD in Australia report, CCA has proposed a practical and evidence-based solution to the government. But after a request for funding was denied, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia is now asking everyday Australians to demand better from their local MPs and candidates.

Leanne Raven, CEO of CCA commented: “We’ve shown the government the impact of IBD and exactly what needs to be done to improve lives and reduce healthcare system strain. Now we need public support to get the political will to act on our proposed plans. With the election coming up, we’re asking Canberra to put their money where their mouth is and make a no-regrets decision.”

IBD Is a Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

Unlike many chronic conditions, IBD hits young people hardest. The peak age of onset is between 15 and 29, meaning 145,000 Australians with IBD are of working age, with many struggling to stay in work or school. Outside of painful gastrointestinal symptoms, 70% experience fatigue and/or brain fog, while 48% suffer from anxiety or depression.

Australians with IBD also face long diagnostic delays, with over one in three living with symptoms for a year or more before being diagnosed, and more than one in ten waiting over five years. Even after diagnosis, 41% endure five years of active, debilitating disease before achieving remission.

The result: IBD patients are “frequent flyers” in our hospitals, with higher rates of hospitalisation and emergency department visits per person than cancer or heart disease. The economic impact is staggering, $7.8 billion this year, including $1.6 billion in lost wages and $759 million in hospital costs.

“IBD isn’t just a medical issue, it’s a productivity and economic crisis. People are suffering and so is our economy and it doesn’t have to be this way,” said CCA’S CEO Leanne Raven.

A Plan That Works: The Living Well with IBD Program

CCA’s plan includes a $34.1 million investment over four years, representing less than 0.01% of the national health budget. It would deliver:

• The Living Well with IBD Program to provide multidisciplinary care and move more people into remission.
• A national IBD Clinical Care Standard to improve care quality.
• Education for health professionals to reduce diagnostic delays.
• An IBD Clinical Registry and digital health infrastructure to drive innovation and attract research.

The return on investment for a four year investment is undeniable:

• 23,400 people would gain access to multidisciplinary care.
• 9,360 people would reach remission at least a year sooner.
• The probability of remission jumps from 15% to 58%.
• Hospitalisations would drop by 30%, emergency visits by 78%.
• Workforce participation increases by 26%, and student retention triples.
• The proposal would generate $200 million in benefits by 2035, with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 7.1 over four years.

Your Voice Matters

CCA has created advocacy tools to help Australians write to their MPs and candidates in the lead-up to the federal election.

“IBD is costing too many Australians their health, their income and their quality of life, and the cost to the country is simply unsustainable. We have the solution. What we need now is action. Contact your local MP via email, phone, social media or talk to them when you see them out campaigning”, said Leanne Raven. 

Visit www.crohnsandcolitis.org.au/advocacy to find out how you can make a difference and follow @crohnsandcolitisau on social media and #FlushTheStigma.

ENDS

For more information, interviews or case studies of those living with IBD, please contact:

Mia Borg | Maven PR | [email protected] | 0413 801 187

Sophie Muir | Maven PR | [email protected] | 0400 111 390

Crohn’s & Colitis Australia’s complete plan and call to action can be viewed here: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Information-for-Decision-Makers-Final.pdf

About Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA): Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing support services, advocacy, and research funding for those affected by Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. CCA strives to improve the quality of life for people living with these chronic conditions through education, support programs, and public awareness campaigns.

What is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive system. Inflammation can cause redness, swelling and pain, and is the body’s response to injury or irritation. The inflammation caused by the disease usually affects the end of the small bowel and/or the large bowel. Crohn’s disease can affect the full thickness of the bowel and this can result in narrowing (strictures) which can block the bowel (obstruction) or small holes through the bowel (fistulas) to the skin, other loops of bowel or other organs, sometimes causing a collection of pus called an abscess.

What is Ulcerative Colitis? Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause inflammation and ulceration in the large intestine (colon and rectum). Inflammation can cause redness, swelling and pain, and is the body’s response to injury or irritation. Ulcers (sores) also develop on the surface of the intestines inner lining which may bleed and produce mucus. The inflammation almost always involves the rectum and may extend up the large intestine, either when it first develops or sometimes extends over time.

Monash University, Alfred Health is investigating a new dietary treatment for the management of ulcerative colitis. This study will involve testing the effects of two different diets    the diet will be given for four weeks and all meals provided to you (including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) for free. 

What’s involved?

• Free meals provided for the 4 weeks
• Collection of clinical and dietary information
• Analysis of faecal and blood markers to measure impact of the diet
• Assessment of quality of life
• 2-3 study visits at the Alfred Hospital for an abdominal ultrasound

Who is eligible

You are eligible if you are:

• aged between 18-65 years old
• on stable medical therapy >1 month
• not trialling any diet treatments under the guidance of a dietitian
• living in Melbourne

Ethics Committee Project Number:  106283 (Local Reference: Project 139/24)

Approved by: The Alfred Ethics Committee

Recruitment ends: June 2026

If you are interested, register here: https://forms.gle/Undtqzxdg8jrvDw97

or contact Dr CK Yao | T: 03 99030266 | E: [email protected]

From Eloise Turner – Australian Practicing Dietitian and digital nomad living with Crohn’s Disease

CCA’s recipes are not tailored to individual requirements. Please review recipes to ensure they are appropriate for you from an IBD and broader diet perspective. If you think the consumption of certain foods leads to uncomfortable digestive or other symptoms, please speak to your health care professional. Consider connecting with a specialist GutSmart Dietitian and/or Psychologist.

Ingredients

1/2 red capsicum, diced

6 eggs, whisked

1/4 cup lactose free milk

+ cheddar cheese, spring onion and salt and pepper to taste

Method

Simply combine all ingredients in heatproof glass containers, as shown, then place in the oven or air fryer to cook

Instructions to advocates

We need your help to secure support from the Australian government to fund the actions specified in the IBD State of The Nation report, which will greatly improve the quality of life for people living with IBD.

How can you help?

Engage with your local federal member of parliament

Contacting local members and senators, leaders, political parties, and candidates is really effective. Political offices always record the number of calls and emails they receive on an issue, and it affects their own advocacy within their party and in the community. The best way to advocate for change is to arrange a meeting with your local federal member of parliament. Here is how you can organise a meeting:

• Contact the local federal member of parliament or candidate in your electorate. You can search for your local member and senators on the Australian Parliament House website.
• Make an appointment.
• Print the Information for Decision Makers document.
• Attend the appointment, tell your story and relate it to a part of the document that appeals to you.
• Leave the Information for Decision Makers document with them.

If you are unable to attend a meeting with your local federal member of parliament, you can download an email template which you can use to contact them instead. Remember to make personal edits to the email to highlight how an increase in IBD funding would benefit you.

Engage with your network

Talking to people in your network and local community is really effective in advocating for change. Here are some ways you can engage with people:

• Discuss the advocacy you undertake with people in your local community
• Tell others where they can download the Information for Decision Makers document and how to engage with their local federal member of parliament
• Like and share social media posts about the IBD State of the Nation Report and advocacy efforts. Remember to tag Crohn’s & Colitis Australia when you’re sharing information!

If you wish to discuss how you can help further, please call us on 03 9815 1266 or email us at [email protected].