Table of Contents

Join Us To Build Ostomy Awareness

Research Is The Foundation Of "Born To Be A Star"

#ICYMI: An Update on Step Therapy

Missed Equity in GI? Here a Recap!

Upcoming Events for COCCI

Join COCCI's Community

According to the National Institution of Health, about 100,000 people have ostomy surgery of the bowel each year. A little over 15% of ostomies in general are due to inflammatory diseases and obstructions. While ostomy surgery helps patients better navigate their illnesses, there is still more work to do to bring awareness, support, and an increased quality of life to our ostomates and their care partners.

Show your support by participating in COCCI activities now through October 7th. We'll have a video series with ostomates, social media challenges, a toolkit to join in on posts, and more!

Born to Be a Star Research Soiree raises funds to expand research and advance science and medicine for equitable patient care in digestive disease spaces. We will be announcing our Research Award recipients that evening and sharing why your commitment to health equity will create better health outcomes for us all. We can’t do it alone, we must do it together.

Join us for a night of Awards & Celebration in honor of moving the health equity needle forward.

COCCI is committed to sharing more update on the progress our advocacy priorities are making in Congress. We're not only pushing for change through awareness, but by heading to the Capitol with COCCI Ambassadors during Advocating for the COCCI Culture and sharing patient stories through our A Real Picture of Health Campaign.

Here is the progress on S.652, the Safe Step Act:

• In April, U.S. Representatives Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH) and Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) reintroduced the Safe Step Act in the House after it was dropped last February. 
• In May, Senator Lisa Murkowski offered S.652, the Safe Step Act, as an amendment to the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act being marked up in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP).

2023 Equity in GI was one for the books! Over 250 attendees gathered in Atlanta, GA to learn, connect, and magnify health disparities in digestive disease spaces. We increased attendance, added education tracks, welcomed more speakers, and even incorporated the 50th anniversary of hip hop into our event. Here are ways to recap our event:

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

5:30 PM

UMES Campus

*Must currently be enrolled as a student to attend.*

This experience gives students the tools to make decisions on a topic that we should never avoid – gut health.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

7:00 PM

Via Zoom

Join Olga Arnold and Juanita Belton from COCCI's Patient Empowerment Team for a virtual dinner with music and games as we talk about COCCI Membership and all things Empowerment!

The Huddle

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 7:30PM via Zoom

Community Conversations: Delaware State University

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 5:30PM

Together IBD with Dominique Battle

Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 6:30PM via Zoom

COCCI Book Club

Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 3:00PM via Zoom

Become a COCCI Member

As a patient focused organization, we've been working hard on resources and programs that are beneficial to patients during their journey with IBD. After months of planning, we've officially launched our Patient membership level which offers:

• Care Connection Program (coming soon)
• Access to more Industry and Physician led resources
• COCCI In-Person and Virtual Community Programs
• Access to On-Demand Programming
• Discounts to COCCI Events*
• Eligibility for Equity in GI Travel Scholarships

This membership opportunity is free for patients so join today and expand your education and access as a patient.

Become a COCCI Ambassador

Are you interested in becoming an ambassador for COCCI?⁠ Well we're happy to announce that our Ambassador program is still accepting applications!⁠

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An ambassador is an enthusiastic and dedicated chronic illness patient, professional, or family member of a chronic illness patient -- interested in sharing their time and expertise to help elevate awareness for chronic illness. We want you to engage patients and healthcare professionals in raising awareness about chronic illnesses within their communities and across social media.

If you'd like to participate and support our mission, apply to become an ambassador!