PRESS RELEASE

Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America Expands Library of Patient Materials
Updated brochures offer the latest on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

New York, New York—August 20, 2010—New information on the diagnosis of, treatment for, and research on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is rapidly growing. These chronic and often debilitating digestive diseases affect 1.4 million Americans. To help connect the Crohn's and colitis community with this new information, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America has introduced a new brochure, Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects; and has  updated, Living with Crohn's Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents.

"We are always looking for ways to introduce pertinent information to the public," says Kimberly Frederick, Vice President of Patient & Professional Services at the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.  "With the help of our newest brochures, we hope to provide patients, caregivers, and family members with the latest on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis so they can most effectively manage life and take charge of their disease."

Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects helps patients learn as much as possible about life with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and goes into depth on medications that control these diseases. Since Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong illnesses, treatment with medication is the first therapeutic option.

Living with Crohn's Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents; were all recently updated to capture the latest information in disease management and treatment. Both Living with Crohn's Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis offer information on the diseases and allow readers to really grasp the causes, symptoms, and side effects of living with Crohn's and colitis.  The brochures discuss establishing a patient-doctor relationship; commonly used medications; disease management; and more. A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel provides these role models with a basic understanding of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and describes some of the challenges that pediatric patients may experience on a daily basis. It provides teachers and other school personnel with strategies that they can use to help guide children with Crohn's or colitis so that they can achieve their full academic potential. Key points about Crohn's and colitis and what to expect is explored in A Guide for Parents. This brochure includes valuable information on lifestyle modifications Crohn's and colitis patients and their parents may need to make, and how to maintain a progressive relationship with their child's health care providers and school personnel.

In addition, translated Spanish versions of the Foundation's flagship brochures, Living with Crohn's Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis, are coming soon. To access the brochures online, visit http://www.ccfa.org/info/brochures/.

About Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery.  These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18.  Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.

About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 79 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org. Join CCFA on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/supportccfa/and follow CCFA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccfa.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ariella Levine
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
646-943-7430
alevine@ccfa.org

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