Suffering from different forms of IBD (chronic inflammatory bowel disease), Frédéric, Charlotte, Patricia and Dorothée managed to overcome the disease. They witness.
- IBD are chronic illnesses, for which there is no cure.
- They evolve through episodes of relapses (crises) and remissions.
Fatigue, pain, bathroom emergencies… living with IBD is a daily challenge, but not everything is necessarily black! This is the message that the association wants to convey. afa Crohn RCH France and the Janssen laboratory in their new communication campaign. Dubbed “MICI without filter”, it promotes positive testimonials from patients.
“Illness should not become a fatality”
Because of the disease, two thirds of patients give up or reduce their time of physical activity, and 29% change their professional life. 33% of patients also say they have difficulty having a romantic relationship, and 1 in 2 feels isolated or misunderstood.
However, Frédéric, Charlotte, Patricia and Dorothée managed to outsmart these statistics. “For the first few years, I hid my symptoms from those around me. Now I don’t have any difficulty talking about it, I’ve freed myself from it.” says Frédéric, who has overcome the taboo that often weighs on these stomach diseases.
For her part, Charlotte has not given up the pleasure of seeing her friends and ignores the isolation from which some patients may suffer. “The entourage is essential to feel confident and at ease in all circumstances”, she confides. “Illness should not become inevitable. Opportunities are created and doors can be opened”, also reassures Patricia, marketing manager for a large group.
“We laugh together about the difficulties related to my illness”
Finally, Dorothée, who has just celebrated 7 years of married life, is no longer afraid of intimacy problems. She emphasizes “that there is no need to say things to understand each other when we are in a relationship. This is the case with my companion. Today, we laugh together about the difficulties linked to my illness”.
IBD includes two pathologies that affect the digestive system: Crohn’s disease and rectocolitis. Haemorrhagic (RCH). Today we count France nearly 230,000 people affected: approximately 120,000 affected by the disease from Crohn’s and 110,000 from UC 2.
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