Anna Scanlen is well known to most people with IBD in Wellington.

As coordinator of the Wellington Crohn’s and Colitis Support Group for the past five years, she has contributed immeasurably to the Wellington IBD community. She organised countless local events and supported several projects including Camp Purple, local speaking engagements and fundraising initiatives.

Two years ago she was asked to join the CCNZ Board where she was instrumental in revitalising our connection with support groups. She contributed to developing our strategic plan and used her expertise in grant writing to raise funds for our organisation. Despite having many other commitments to her job over the past year, she remained on our Board until she completed her work on a comprehensive manual for support group coordinators which will be published shortly.

On a personal level, she will be missed by all of us on the Board. Her keen judgement and insightfulness, but, most importantly, her generosity and warmth will be greatly missed.