The Lord Mayor will be supporting Crohn's and Colitis UK during her year of office in it's efforts to raise £15,000 for the purchase of two capsule endoscopy systems, allowing safe and reliable images of the small intestine. The current waiting time for this valuable investigation is between 6-12 months with an outdated system. Having two modern systems will dramatically reduce waiting times and extend this service to the children's hospital.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are bowel conditions in which the gut becomes ulcerated and inflamed. Recent figures suggest that as many as 1 in every 200 are affected, frequently first between the ages of 16 and 25.
The effect can be devastating. Extreme pain, exhaustion, relentless diarrhoea and loss of bowel control are only some of the symptons which can include slowed growth in children.
As well as making small personal grants to change lives in small practical ways, the charity wants to make a local grant to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust to purchase two video capsule endoscopy systems. These systems allow patients to swallow a video pill to get safe and accurate pictures of the inside of the small intestine to identify inflammation not seen with traditional radiology tests. This enables doctors to tailor treatments effectively, sometimes avoiding the need for invasive camera tests.
Please visit their website for more information www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk or get in touch with the local Leeds and District Group run by volunteers at www.groups.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/leeds.
If you wish to support the appeal you may send a cheque made payable to the Lord Mayor's Charity Appeal to:
The Lord Mayor's Office
Civic Hall
Leeds
LS1 1UR
(0113) 247 4194
Email: lordmayorsoffice@leeds.gov.uk
The Lord Mayor's Appeal is a Registered Charity No. 512441