Reality TV star, Mollie Pearce, backs campaign to tackle inequalities in condition that impacts millions of people globally

•  Mollie Pearce, star of the UK reality TV show ‘The Traitors’ who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), at the age of 11, partners with Celltrion to launch a new campaign.
• World IBD Day 2024 sees Celltrion launch the second installation of the Where’s Crohn’s & Colitis (CC)? campaign, focused on global inequalities in access to IBD care and treatment.
• Mollie shares her experiences with UC to highlight the need for sustainable, equitable care that bridges the gap from diagnosis to treatment for all.

SUNDAY 19 MAY 2024 - INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA – Celltrion partners with TV star Mollie Pearce to launch the second installation of the Where’s Crohn’s & Colitis (CC)? campaign for this year’s World IBD Day (19 May 2024).

The campaign focuses on access to IBD care and treatment as the burden of the condition rises globally¹. Widening inequalities and significant variations in access across the globe, and even within countries, is impacting people’s experience of IBD care and ultimately their outcomes².

Through raising awareness of the factors driving these inequalities and potential solutions, the campaign hopes to encourage improved access to a timely diagnosis, high quality care and innovative treatments.

Innovations in treatments, including advances in treatment administration that enable people to access at-home injectable treatment (versus hospital-based treatment), allows people to have an improved quality of life whilst managing their condition³.

The campaign encourages people to look beyond what they would usually see, to make the invisible condition, visible. In doing so, users are taken on a journey across borders to explore inequalities in IBD at a global scale and how these could be overcome.

Reality TV star Mollie Pearce, a contestant on the popular UK show ‘The Traitors’, partners with Celltrion to launch the campaign. Mollie was diagnosed with UC when she was 11 years old and has openly shared her experiences living with the disease as an advocate for the IBD community, breaking down stigma and inspiring others to seek the care that works best for them.

Mollie Pearce, media personality and finalist on ‘The Traitors’, commented: “Living with a condition such as UC comes with so many challenges - from sometimes not being able to leave the house to missing out on social occasions with friends. That’s why I’m so passionate about being an advocate for the IBD community and helping others to break down barriers and do the things they never thought were possible once they were diagnosed.

“The Where’s CC? campaign is really close to my heart. I want to do all I can to ensure everyone is treated as an individual and gets the care they deserve.”

Mr. Kevin Byoung Seo Choi, Executive VP and head of the marketing division at Celltrion, said: “It is simply unacceptable that there are so many barriers in accessing IBD care. From geographic disparities in access to infusion centers to health system limitations and education, there is an urgent need to tackle the root cause of inequalities globally so that all patients can access potentially life-changing therapies.

“We are committed to tackling inequalities and ensuring a sustainable future for all IBD patients. The Where’s CC? campaign is our latest step in making this a reality through raising awareness and advocating for change.” 

The first instalment of the Where’s CC? campaign, launched for World IBD Day 2023, focused on age-related inequalities in IBD, and how the challenges that come with the condition can vary at different stages of life.

Visit www.WhereisCC.com to learn more about the Where’s CC? campaign and inequalities in access to care and treatment in IBD, and how these can be overcome to improve IBD outcomes for all. 

World IBD Day is an annual awareness campaign led by patient organisations representing over 50 countries on five continents and coordinated by the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA)⁴.