The Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America has announced the launch of a Congressional caucus on Crohns disease to promote awareness of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Congressmen Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) created the Congressional Crohns and Colitis Caucus in order to expand research and improve insurance coverage for the 1.4 million Americans affected by IBD.
The caucus will work to expand research at the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, two of the main forms of IBD. There will also be a focus on accessible insurance and the disabilities of the disease.
Crohns disease creates inflammation in the digestive tract, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. It is a chronic illness; there is no cure. Crohns can lead to arthritis, anemia, colon cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, and osteoporosis.
Crenshaw and Jackson invite all Congressional members to join the new caucus.
