CCA’s primary objective is to provide support services, advice and encouragement for people living with inflammatory bowel disease. Click on the links below to find out more about our various support services.
On this page:
- Support Groups
- IBD Information Forums
- For Parents, Kids and Teens
- For Parents
- For Teens
- You and your Family are not Alone
- GP Audit and Education Module
Support Groups
Crohn’s and Colitis support group meetings provide a safe environment where individuals impacted by IBD can express themselves openly and receive support and understanding from others with similar experiences. All members, including the facilitator are impacted by Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis (IBD) in some way.
Upcoming support group meetings are listed on our What’s On page.
Please read our privacy policy.
For more information, or to register your interest in attending a support group, or starting a group in your area, please phone 1800 138 029 or email.
IBD Information Forums
Crohn’s & Colitis Australia’s IBD information forums provide much needed specialised information for people diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, their families and carers. Particularly useful for those recently diagnosed, the forums offer participants education and support and strategies to identify and establish links with the existing local community support structures
FOR PARENTS, KIDS AND TEENS
For Parents
Being diagnosed with IBD is challenging for anyone – but having a young child diagnosed is distressing and daunting for the whole family. There are usually hundreds of questions:
- Why did my child get this?
- Is it something we did (or didn’t) do?
- How is IBD treated?
- What are our options?
- Will she have a normal life?
- What does the future hold for him?
- Will my other children also get this disease?
- What is IBD anyway?
For Teens
Similarly, being a teenager is hard enough without having to deal with the challenges of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Both the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and the side-effects of many of the treatments, seem designed to cause maximum embarrassment and disruption to every aspect of your life.
Weight loss, fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, surgical scarring, extended hospital stays, delayed puberty and/or corticosteroid puffiness; it’s no wonder that many young people with IBD feel isolated, frustrated, stressed, anxious or depressed.
You and your Family are not Alone
Meeting others who are going through similar challenges, learning more about the illness and taking a proactive interest in treatment can make a big difference in your life. CCA has a range of resources and services that can help you including:
- A range of informative literature, including Students with IBD
- A closed Facebook group Lulu Livemore (only open to CCA members), and open Facebook page, and a group for Parents of Aussie Kids with IBD.
- Private online chat forum (members only)
- IBD Helpline
- Local support groups, and much more!
Browse our website, read about other people’s experiences and call our office (1800 138 029) to have information sent directly to you.
Sidebar
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Personal StoryHow the Expectation for Men to Be Tough Affected My Crohn’s Disease
Young, immortal, unfazed by illness, disease, pain. I never heard other men talk about chronic illness, or autoimmune disease or debilitating pain. -
ResearchLink Between Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Previous studies report a possible association between IBD and celiac disease; however, this link is controversial. -
Personal StoryWoman with Crohn’s disease ‘learned to love’ her scars
Natalie Amber collapsed and nearly died several years ago and had to have surgery on her bowel.
