Crohn's and Colitis are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases that affects millions of Canadians. Diseases of the bowels are still enigmas to doctors and scientists, so there are very few effective treatments, no cure, no known cause. While medically these diseases are mysteries, the impact on patients is staggering. Aside from the physical symptoms (including: hemorrhaging from the rectum, abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, chronic diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, anemia, dangerous weight loss leading to malnutrition just to name a few), these diseases make people prisoners in their bodies. Due to the number of bowel movements and failing health it effects every facet of the affected individuals lives. Patients have a hard time traveling because they must always be near a restroom, which is an embarrassing experience in itself. Socially, it is difficult to function in public from the pain, sensitivity to light and sound from the medications, and urgency of the bowels. There could be accidents, which are devastating to potty trained individuals. It effects concentration and focus, so it makes education and work almost impossible. Because activities like exercise act as laxatives naturally, they become challenging to people with IBD. People tend to be uncomfortable sexually, since they feel they have lost control of their body, which bleeds and makes weird noises with excessive gas. These diseases take over your life and then have the courtesy to kill you slowly. The treatments are sometimes worse than the disease. The steroids can lead to massive weight gain, acne, mood swings, and more headaches. The pills meant to dispense in the bowel tend to be ineffective and only treat the area where they release, not necessarily where the disease is. You can be on 40 pills a day and have no relief. The pills can make you lose hair and look more sick. There are surgeries that involve removing the entire large intestine or parts of the small intestine. If you are lucky, you will be able to have your intestines reconnected to your rectum. If you are not, you will have an ostomy bag the rest of your life, which leads to more mental and social problems. These are your 'cures': die by the disease or never be normal again. Make your choice and ask yourself- Got Guts? - Tiff Driscoll For more information, make sure you check out the following sites: The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America Canadian Society of Intestinal Research