More Than an Answer: How the IBD Help Center Meets People Where They Are
Published: October 13, 2026
The Foundation's IBD Help Center Team
Trusted Information for Your Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Journeys
A mother of a person newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease was in search of information related to her daughter’s disease.
Her daughter had survived stage 4 cancer and was now preparing to begin treatment for IBD. Could the treatment cause the cancer to return? She was worried. She contacted the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s IBD Help Center for support.
The IBD Help Center team, composed of specialists with advanced training and decades of experience, had researched the question and identified relevant evidence. A specialist was prepared to translate technical science into approachable answers. During an in-depth phone call, the specialist walked through the information with the mom, helping answer her questions and ease her fears.
This is what the IBD Help Center provides every day: more than answers. It offers compassionate, personalized support to people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, as well as those caring for someone with IBD.
Our community reports that it’s making a difference. Among recent survey respondents, 86% reported being highly satisfied with the IBD Help Center.
The IBD Help Center’s impact can’t be measured by calls or connections alone. It’s also found in the moments when someone gains a better understanding of a complicated diagnosis, finds a resource they need, or feels more prepared to talk with their doctor. Sometimes, it’s simply giving someone a place to ask a question they’ve been carrying alone.
Behind Every Question Is a Person
In 2025, the IBD Help Center made nearly 12,000 connections across the IBD community. Behind each connection is a person looking for clarity, a caregiver seeking reassurance, or a healthcare professional matching their patients with reliable support.
Established in 2007, the IBD Help Center offers:
- Up-to-date information about IBD
- Support and resources for navigating life with IBD
- Referrals to trusted resources and services
- Information to help people prepare for conversations with their healthcare providers
Expertise, Empathy, and Time to Listen
The IBD Help Center specialists complete an intensive training program in addition to their advanced degrees. The training emphasizes providing accurate, current disease-related information and developing skills to communicate complex topics in easily understandable language and with empathy.
The team does not provide medical or legal advice. Instead, specialists help people find reliable information, identify resources, and prepare for conversations with their healthcare team.
“People may begin with one question, but often they are looking for reassurance, clarity, and a path forward,” says Ayesha Williams, Foundation Senior Director of Education & Support, who oversees the IBD Help Center program.
Finding a Path Forward During a Change in Insurance
Starting a new job and transitioning to new health insurance can be stressful, especially when you rely on medication to manage your IBD. One person contacted the IBD Help Center after learning that their previous insurance plan would not provide a 90-day supply of Humira to cover the gap before they could see their new healthcare provider.
The IBD Help Center listened to their concerns and connected them with information to help them access their medication, including the Humira Assistance Program and the PAF Foundation. With the help of those resources, they had a clearer path forward during an uncertain time.
When IBD Affects Every Part of Life
Living with IBD can raise questions that go far beyond symptoms and treatment. People may need help with insurance, financial concerns, emotional distress, caregiving, work, housing, or access to healthcare.
In fact, financial assistance and insurance account for more than a quarter of support sought. Coping with the emotional distress of living with IBD is another common topic among people who use the IBD Help Center.
The IBD Help Center also supports people facing especially difficult circumstances, including financial hardship, housing instability, limited access to healthcare or reliable internet, and incarceration. The IBD Help Center has recently extended hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays until 9 p.m. ET, which has shown a 22% increase in contacts.
“I value getting to spend meaningful time with each person who reaches out for support,” says Jackie Spencer, Foundation Senior Manager of Education & Support. “I want people to know that it’s always okay to ask for help.”
IBD Support When and How You Need It
There’s more than one way to get the IBD support you need. The IBD Help Center offers multiple ways to connect, including phone, email, mail, live chat, social media, and other pathways. Support is available in 170 languages, helping more people access trusted IBD information in a way that works for them.
Need IBD Support?
Contact IBD Help Center by phone at 888.MY.GUT.PAIN (888.694.8872), by email at [email protected], or through live chat.
Ways to connect with the IBD Help Center:
- Phone: 888.MY.GUT.PAIN (888.694.8872)
- Email: [email protected]
- Live chat: Available Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
Hours: Monday and Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET; Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. ET