Airport supports Travel with IBD Ireland
IRELAND West Airport have announced their support for Travel with IBD Ireland, a collaborative campaign between the Irish Society for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (ISCC) and Takeda Products Ireland Ltd.
The campaign, which launched last year, has been backed by the power of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) community who have called for change across Irish airports, rail stations and service stations.
Since May 2018, a massive 6,299 campaign emails have been sent to the bosses of major travel hubs by the IBD community, asking for the adoption of accessible toilet signage to highlight that not every disability is visible.
It is estimated that 40,000 people in Ireland are living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of IBD. For many living with these conditions, the sudden and uncontrollable need to use a toilet is an especially challenging and recognised medical symptom. Some people also have stoma bags and need extra space or privacy to change these comfortably.
However many people living with IBD, and other ‘invisible’ disabilities, have faced stigma and discrimination when using accessible toilets because others perceive them to look well and not entitled to use these facilities. For these people, the fear of being confronted for using an accessible toilet in public can be a major cause of anxiety, particularly when travelling.
Travel with IBD Ireland aims to reduce the stigma and give those living with IBD and other invisible disabilities more confidence to travel.
Ireland West Airport is the second travel hub in Ireland to take action and support the campaign to improve the travel experiences for people living with IBD.
“We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming environment, but more importantly a stress-free one for all of our community, and we encourage other travel providers throughout Ireland to raise awareness of invisible disabilities too.
“We are thrilled to support Travel with IBD Ireland as one of a number of initiatives we are working on to enhance facilities and remove fear and anxiety for people with hidden disabilities,” said Donal Healy, Ireland West Airport’s head of aviation business development, marketing and communications.