COCCI Champions Equitable Healthcare

Color of Crohn’s & Chronic Illness (COCCI) advocates for underserved communities affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), digestive disorders, and associated chronic illnesses.

Find out how COCCI improves the quality of life for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

COCCI’s vision is to have an equitable healthcare system freed from the seeds of racism. One that provides the space and opportunity for all individuals to be regarded as such, and to have their care delivered based on needs and best opportunities for optimal outcomes.

By definition, “equity” is the absence of avoidable, unfair, or remediable differences among groups of people – whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically, geographically, or by other means of stratification. "Health equity” implies that everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential, and that no roadblocks should keep them from achieving it.

How COCCI is making healthcare more equitable

COCCI is helping achieve “health equity” for BIPOC through community, research, education, and advocacy. The organization facilitates connections between BIPOC community members by hosting educational events and support group meetings. In addition their Peer-to-Peer Support interventions allow people living with chronic illnesses to share their experiences, gain emotional support, and help one another resolve any barriers to self-management goals.

COCCI also recruits chronic illness patients and professionals, and family members of patients, to join their Ambassador Board. Ambassadors are passionate about COCCI’s mission and committed to staying up-to-date on new, relevant issues that may impact BIPOC. They also engage both patients and healthcare providers in raising awareness of chronic illness within their communities and through their social networks.

COCCI’s future goals

As COCCI continues to expand its reach, one of its objectives is to connect patients with opportunities to be included in pharmaceutical company studies and other healthcare initiatives. The organization is also creating collaborative partnerships that will directly move its mission forward and serve the BIPOC community.

If you would like more information about COCCI and how you can get involved, visit www.cocci.org and @colorofcci on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also email info@cocci.org.

Please share this informative article with people you know in the BIPOC community.