A Scottish garden centre has signed up for an initiative to help people with ?invisible illnesses?.
Cardwell Garden Centre, near Gourock is supporting a campaign to help sufferers of conditions like Crohn?s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, who can sometimes be refused access, or questioned about why they are using a disabled toilet facility.
According to the charity Crohn?s and Colitis UK, because these sufferers may look healthy at first glance, they may be in a daily battle with a severe medical condition and instantly need to use a disabled or accessible toilet.
Cardwell has now changed the signage on their disabled toilet to make it clear that people suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases are welcome to use these facilities.
Cardwell retail general manager. Paul Carmichael said: ?A major anxiety for people living with a serious health condition, like Crohn?s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, is being refused toilet access, or being confronted about why they are using a disabled facility.
?We want to help remove any potential stigma of people with inflammatory bowel disease having to use our disabled toilet.
?As well as making it more comfortable for the sufferers of these invisible illnesses to use our disabled toilet, it also raises awareness and lets other people know that it?s OK for this to happen.
?We were more than willing to partner with Crohn?s and Colitis UK and help with their Better Toilet Signs Campaign to highlight that not every disability is visible.?
Dan McLean, Crohn’s and Colitis UK?s Director of Marketing, Communications and Membership, said: ?Many members of the charity feel they are judged for using accessible toilets because others perceive them to be well and not entitled to use the facilities.
?It?s fantastic that Cardwell Garden Centre has made a terrific and long-lasting impact? by adopting these signs throughout their store. We hope that more businesses will follow suit and help the public to be aware of invisible diseases.?
