Bowel Independence - Breaking taboo

Coloplast UK recently helped launch a new partnership called “Bowel Independence”. The partnership’s aim is to help increase awareness of bowel issues, which affects 1 in 10 people.

On 4 July 2012, Coloplast UK hosted the first ever “Bowel Independence Day”. 

At a media event in London, the newly formed Bowel Independence partnership was launched with the aim of breaking down a taboo that affects thousands of UK citizens: Faecal incontinence and chronic constipation.
The partnership consists of health care professionals, patient organisations, media representatives and Coloplast UK.

 

Bowel issues still a big taboo

Sue Frost, UK Senior Market Manager, explains why Coloplast has taken the initiative to form the partnership.
“With products such as Peristeen, we already help a lot of people with faecal incontinence or constipation to live better lives, says Sue.
“However, far too many people still don’t know where to find basic information about their condition or the treatment options that can help them – simply because bowel issues are still a big taboo.”

 

More information is crucial

To help illustrate the physical and mental challenges of people with bowel issues, the media event featured presentations both from a leading medical expert and from two experienced health care professionals working with patients every day.
To provide a patient perspective, Matt Hampson, former England U21 rugby player and spinal cord injured, and Kerry Lloyd, mother of two from the West Midlands with Multiple Sclerosis, shared their personal stories.
“I think it’s crucial that more people get access to information. I wish that I had known about available treatment options much earlier. We need to start talking openly about this, and I think this event is very good start,” says Kerry Lloyd.

 

Building better pathways for treatment

The event also featured a roundtable discussion, covering topics such as: How can we educate and improve access to treatment? How can we make it more acceptable to talk about tabooed issues such as faecal incontinence?
“Apart from making products that make a real difference, we also want to help create better information channels and pathways for treatment. This event is an important first step in reaching these goals – and the discussion tonight has given us great ideas to work with in the coming weeks and months,” says Sue Kernahan, General Manager UK.

Coloplast will also host a Bowel Independence Day next year.