In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's easy to overlook the silent heroes who work tirelessly to lay the foundations of success. Today, let's take a moment to shine a bright light on the humility and dedication of our very own Dr. Richard Stein.

We are thrilled to announce the recipient of the 2023 Nurses Travel Award! This is a $5000 award to attend an International Conference, where the focus is on best treatment, research, and advances in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Pregnancy is an exciting journey, and for individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), being in remission before conception is crucial. In this article, we aim to provide some guidance for those with IBD who are planning to start a family or are already expecting.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to become more prevalent in NZ. Current work being undertaken by Angela Forbes (PhD student at the University of Otago, Christchurch) suggests that there are more than 4,000 patients living with IBD in Canterbury alone. If these numbers were to be extrapolated to include all of New Zealand, over 40,000 people may be living with IBD in our small country.

With 2024 approaching quickly, there's one event on the horizon that is eagerly awaited by campers, volunteers and families alike – Camp Purple Live.

People with IBD can have a love/hate relationship with food. But everyone has different foods that can make them feel better or worse, cause symptoms or provide relief. However, there are different types of food that commonly help or hinder many with IBD, due to the way they interact with the body. When food is broken down in the gut, the byproducts are the fuel for our microbiome (the bugs that live in our gut and directly interact with the immune system). These different foods can be described as pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory or trigger foods.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic, recurring, and often debilitating condition affecting thousands of people in New Zealand. It doesn’t always respond to treatment as well as we would like, leading to ongoing symptoms with reduction in quality of life. The good news is that studies have shown access to a specialist IBD nurse can make a very real difference in patient outcomes.

Your IBD is in remission, great! But you are still having multiple loose bowel motions, especially in the morning when you are trying to leave the house for the day. You may also have excess gas or bloating. You are not alone. At least 30% of people with IBD report ongoing gut symptoms even when their IBD is in remission.

Written by - Dr Richard Newbury, Gastroenterologist Rotorua Hospital.

Melodramatic, wondrous, theatrical, loud - these were all fitting adjectives to describe my personality as a kid. 'Over-dramatic' also fitted the criteria, but not when I was referring to the severe pain of my underlying disease.

We are excited to share insights from a recent study that many of you may have participated in, contributing valuable perspectives that have shaped the outcome of this research.

Meet Kade West-Hill - an 18-year-old with a relentless spirit and the newly appointed Coordinator of the Whangārei Crohn’s and Colitis Support Group.

Jasneel Deo recently embraced the opportunity to contribute to the EFCCA "Leaders of Tomorrow" Youth Academy program. Below, he has shared his insights into the valuable lessons he has gained so far.

Read Keefe's article detailing his Crohn's disease journey which began at the age of fifteen. His journey ultimately culminates in an inspiring triumph of hope and awareness, as he endeavours to raise funds for CCNZ.

In December 2021, when we initially explored Donovan Neill's motivation to fundraise for CCNZ, little did we anticipate that his dedication would transform into a remarkable family-wide running initiative.

This year we hosted our ninth annual Parent and Caregiver's Seminar. The decision to separate it from our regular camp activities and condense it into a single day was made by our camp committee for several reasons.

In this article, Tom Newman shares his inspiring journey of preparing for his first marathon on 29 October 2023, despite never having run more than 5km before!

We are excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2024 Giving Circle Scholarship Award.

Steve, Alex's father, is lacing up his running shoes to raise funds and awareness for Camp Purple. Read about their journey and how Steve's turning his passion for running into something positive.

CCNZ appreciates and thanks the IBD professional community for all their support.

CCNZ are working hard to ensure that the support groups are getting active and supporting their communities. If you are feeling up to it, head along to an event. Your community would love to meet you!

CCNZ works across the country to improve the lives of people affected by IBD, but we're only able to get there with your help and support.