December 1st marks the start of an awareness week that’s close to all of our hearts here at Oakmed. Chron’s and Colitis Awareness Week is particularly important for spreading the word about invisible illnesses. People often don’t understand what they can’t see, and a week that helps to highlight this and change perceptions is important for a number of reasons.
There’s a stigma attached to invisible illnesses, and we’ve heard stories of people who suffer from these diseases being judged for using disabled facilities, for example. It’s important that we keep the conversation going and help to make people think twice about what someone may be dealing with out of the line of sight.
If you want to get involved, there are a few ways you can do so! Including:
Promote awareness via social media
Share your own story during the week or share the messages sent out via the official channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Donate
You can make small donations to the worthwhile cause. All it takes is a simple text message, just text PURPLE to 70700 to donate £5 or visit the website and donate online.
Raise funds
You could go a step further and set up your own fundraising event, either in person or via social media. In the modern world, it takes only a few clicks to set up a fundraiser via Facebook.
Attend a local event
There are loads of events planned across the country, maybe take a look at what’s happening local to you and head down to support the cause and drive awareness. As a bonus, you’ll likely meet new people who understand the challenges you’re facing.
Wear purple
Friday 7th December will be #PurpleFriday, so dig out your best purple clothing and help to drive awareness and encourage others to do so. You could use the hashtag to drive awareness son social media too!
Find more info on Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week on the official website here – https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/crohns-and-colitis-awareness-week
