NOT EVERY DISABILITY IS VISIBLE
Working with Crohn's and Colitis UK, this campaign is spreading awareness and pushing for their toilet sign to be rolled out to willing businesses (join by hitting that Sign Up button below). This is something that is great to be involved with, at no cost to you, and conveys to customers with hidden disabilities that you have gone the extra mile to make them feel welcome and comfortable. By joining, you would be recognised as becoming a supporter of this campaign and would receive the Not Every Disability is Visible sign to place on your Accessible Toilet(s) located on your premises. You would also be recognised on Social Media as a supporter.
SUPPORTERS SO FAR...
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Every 30 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis - the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
​
At least 300,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed.
​
These Chronic conditions are becoming more common, especially among young people.
​
Inflammatory Bowel Disease can cause Ulceration and Inflammation in the colon (Ulcerative Colitis) or any part of the digestive system (Crohn's).
​
They are unpredictable, lifelong and potentially life-threatening.
​
The impact of these conditions on education, work, social and family life can be devastating.
​
Symptoms can include:
Diarrhoea (often with blood)
Severe Pain
Extreme Fatigue
Dramatic Weight Loss
Swollen Joints
Mouth Ulcers
Eye, Skin & Liver Problems​
​​
There is NO known cure.
SURVEY RESULTS
People living with Crohn's and Colitis:
​
61% of negative experiences when using an accessible toilet included verbal and/or physical abuse.
​
1 in 2 report having had a negative experience from the public for using an accessible toilet.
​
81% think that the public have little understanding of the conditions and are quick to judge those living with invisible conditions.
​
70% said they have had an accident or experienced unpleasant symptoms because a member of the public wouldn't let them jump the toilet queue.
​
1/2 of people said they have felt prevented from going to restaurants (49%) and pubs (43%) because they fear discrimination.
​
Over 80% said that they felt more comfortable visiting places with the Not Every Disability signs installed.
​
75% make choices about which restaurants, pubs or cafes to visit, based on the accessibility of their toilets.
​
93% of people who challenge healthy-looking people using accessible toilets think they are 'standing up' for their rights of disabled people or that it's 'not fair' on others
​
More than 1/2 of the public said they were aware of Crohn's and Colitis, but only 9% of these could identify the five main symptoms of the conditions, that include:
Abdominal/ cramping pain
Feeling generally unwell or feverish
Diarrhoea
Tiredness & fatigue
Loss of appetite and weight loss
​​