Bradford patients will benefit from a new dedicated web page which will provide help and information about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) thanks to a generous donation from the Upper Bolton Conservative Club.

The club raised more than £1,800 for the IBD service based at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Digestive Disease Centre through a number of fundraising initiatives including fun days, sponsored shaves, car washes and entertainment evenings.

The charity work was carried out in the memory of Conservative Club member, Michael Collins’ late wife, Susan, who suffered from Cronhs Disease for 30 years.

 “I joined the club after Susan died for the social aspect and to get out and about again,” said Michael. “When the committee said they were looking for a charity to fundraise for, I immediately thought of the care and support Susan had received from the team at the BRI.

“We’re only a small club but we’re delighted to have raised so much money for the hospital which will now go towards helping other people with IBD in the Bradford area.

IBD is the term used to cover the chronic conditions Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

The new webpage for patients – which will sit on Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust website - is currently being designed by consultant gastroenterologist, Paul Southern, who has web design experience, along with an IBD patient who is a web designer.

BRI consultant gastroenterologist, Dr Conrad Beckett, thanked the club for their generous donation.

He added: ‘This money will enable us to further improve the quality of care we provide to patients with IBD and provide a quick first-stop shop for any questions they might have. 

“The webpage will inform patients as to what is available in the city in terms of help, support and advice, as well as having links to charities who can help and other reliable information about their conditions on the internet.”

The idea for the internet page arose from the department’s quarterly patient meetings for people with IBD.

During a recent meeting patients and staff discussed how best the Club’s donation could be spent.

IBD nurse specialist, Deborah Patterson, said: “There was an overwhelming feeling that when people are first diagnosed and become involved in the IBD group, there are lots of questions they need answers to and they need to know where they might get help and advice.

“This dedicated webpage will hopefully help patients get the right information as soon as possible.”

As well as patients, the meetings are regularly attended by Dr Beckett, IBD nurse specialists, Jane Healey and Deborah Patterson, stoma nurse specialist, Kim Ruddock, and acute surgery’s general manager, Emma Maclellan-Smith. 

Factfile on IBD: 

• Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease affect about 1 person in every 250 in the UK
  
• They are both chronic (ongoing) conditions, which are not infectious
  
• The most common age for diagnosis is between 10 and 40 (although diagnosis can occur at any age)
  
• Men and women suffer equally
  
• The main symptoms of Crohn’s Disease will usually include pain, urgent diarrhoea, severe tiredness and loss of weight. Crohn's Disease is quite often associated with other inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, skin and eyes.
• Ulcerative Colitis affects the colon (large intestine) or rectum and can cause a variety of distressing and sometimes embarrassing symptoms. Inflammation and ulcers develop on the inside lining of the colon resulting in pain, urgent and bloody diarrhoea, continual tiredness, weight loss and loss of appetite.
• The severity of symptoms fluctuate unpredictably over time. Patients are likely to experience flare-ups in between intervals of remission or reduced symptoms
  
• The cause or causes have not yet been identified in either illness. Both genetic factors and environmental triggers are likely to be involved

For more information please log on to www.nacc.org.uk