Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term used to describe two conditions: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Both diseases are life-long, incurable diseases that involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. IBD is painful, severely debilitating and can lead to life-threatening complications as well as increasing the risk of colon cancer.
More than 20,000 people in Ireland have IBD with an estimated two new cases per day. Ireland has the fastest growing rate in the world with the fastest rising rates amongst children. In Crohn's disease, inflammation can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. By contrast, ulcerative colitis involves inflammation of the large intestine or colon.
