During the general assembly in Dubrovnik EFCCA changed chairman. Rod Mitchel stepped back after being chairman for the past 10 years. For his outstanding service for EFCCA, Rod received lots of compliments and many heartfelt words of gratitude. Among other things Rod was praised for his limitless commitment for EFCCA, which contributed significantly to the visibility of EFCCA in the world of IBD.

Rod's successor is Marco Greco from Italy, who has been active in EFCCA for 9 years and among other things created the youngsters group within EFCCA.

Many European associations for people with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (together known as "Inflammatory Bowel Disease"; IBD) sensed that their members would like to contribute to scientific research to improve IBD treatments.  The associations concluded that a joint initiative to meet these needs would have a much better chance of success than individual initiatives. Within the European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) this idea was developed. 

Travelling in Europe whatever the season

On the EFCCA site you will find Travelling with IBD fact-sheets for some of the EFCCA member European countries. Others will be added over time. Click here to see those already available.

Across Greece as of January 2008 there are a number of formal or informal Crohn's and colitis patient groups and in recent years a number of events have been held  for people with IBD, primarily in Athens, Saloniki, and on the island of Crete.

The following  information may be of help to all those with an interest in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (otherwise known as inflammatory bowel disease - IBD), in Greece:

• Attica IBD Patients Association: this association  was officially established in year 2006 and is based in Athens. The Attica Greek language website is at: http://www.crohnhellas.gr  An English language leaflet about the association is also available by contacting the Attica Association.  
• North Greece IBD Patients Society: during 2007 arrangements have made to form a North Greece IBD Patients Society, which is based in Thessaloniki. Initial information (in the Greek language) about the society can be found via: http://ibd-gr.blogspot.com/
• Cretan IBD Patients Association: the Cretan association is currently inactive,  so readers who presently need information regarding Crete may like to contact the Attica IBD Patients Association who will be pleased to assist.  

EFCCA has been encouraging the development of an All Hellenic Crohn's and Colitis Patient Organisation so that  it might become part of the EFCCA "family". To assist we have been working with the present Greek IBD Patients associations, Gastroenterologists and other healthcare stakeholders, including the ECCO Doctor representatives.

As appropriate we would encourage visitors to the EFCCA website,whether from Greece or those living in other parts of the world to contact the Greek associations, to join them and to help in whatever you can as they develop their IBD patient organisation(s).   

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Note: We would of course similarly encourage those who visit the EFCCA website and live in Europe and who are not in touch with their own country association to see how those patient associations help people with IBD and their families. Click here for the link to the contact details of the 23 EFCCA member national associations.

A time to remember that we all have a need, but for many across the world with disabilities of all kinds there is often a pressing need. That is so for very many with Crohn's and colitis too !

We do acknowledge that in some countries there are a number of public toilets for the disabled but these require a special key from the municipalities and are often only available to those who qualify.

So particularly on this special day and in the days after we want to ask all those in charge of public toilets, whether their maintenance of the building or in the design of new toilet facilities that you consider the special needs of those people who cannot wait and those with particular requests to use toilet facilities. 
 
Many of the patient associations provide Can't Wait Cards for their members and to the citizens we ask that if you are in a queue you give those people who ask to go ahead of you, consideration of their need.  For some, through urgency or sometimes unexpected incontinence, they cannot wait, but it is difficult to talk about it even in today's growing understanding of bodily functions.

Within Page 6 of the October 2007 EFCCA Newsletter that can be found in this website you will find a report about the introductions of the Access Card in another country - Portugal (www.apdi.org.pt) and also some words about our EFCCA colleagues at RMT Sweden  (www.magotarm.se) who have undertaken a survey, also about the design of toilet cubicles. The results have provided some creative ideas to improve toilets in general, so providing better facilities for people with inflammatory bowel diseases and a wide range of similar conditions.

Many organisations around the world have an interest in World Toilet Day and we ask that where possible you use this day in future years to highlight the needs in your country, municipality or village.  Why is it that the taboo remains and what can you do to help?

EFCCA Chairman, Rod Mitchell, speaking from Stockholm on 19 November 2007, where the RMT (Gut) patients organisation is working with local media to publicise the needs of the peoples in Sweden, congratulated the RMT team on their high profile initiative - which has led to much local and national publicity - and also in working with the Swedish Disability Association in raising other issues. He believes that it is by working together in raising awareness both among the citizens and with the politicians at all levels, that we can make a real difference to the lives of the many peoples with chronic conditions like Crohn's and colitis, wherever they may live.