German Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis Association
| German Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis Association (DCCV) |
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| legal form | registered association |
| founding | 1982 |
| Seat | Berlin |
| purpose | Self-help association for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) |
| Chair | Thomas Leyhe |
| Managing directors | Tobias Hillmer |
| Members | 22,000 |
| Website | dccv.de |
The German Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis Association (DCCV) eV is the self-help association for over 400,000 people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Germany. The association is registered in Cologne , the office is in Berlin.
The purpose of the association is to represent the interests of people who suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis / indeterminate colitis or the less common collagenous and lymphocytic colitis, as well as those who have PSC with or without diagnosed IBD.
The association was founded in 1982 and is organized exclusively by those affected. With approx. 22,000 full and extraordinary members (not affected by IBD themselves), it is one of the largest patient organizations in Germany. The non-profit organization is led by the seven-person honorary board of directors under the direction of Thomas Leyhe. The chairmen of the advisory board are Wolfgang Kruis (Ev. Hospital Cologne-Kalk) and Britta Siegmund (Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin).
The tasks include advising and informing those affected, supporting local self-help groups, advocating for the improvement of medical care through demands on politics, liaising with similar self-help organizations, health insurance companies and medical institutions, as well as educating the public about these diseases and providing support under social law of those affected.
The member journal “Ventriloquist” appears quarterly.
Doctor-patient seminars are organized nationwide at different locations. Research projects are funded through the foundation affiliated with the organization. Studies involving chronic bowel inflammation are assessed by the DCCV.
The association is a member of the Federal Self-Help Working Group and the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband . It is linked to the other European Crohn's and Colitis Organizations in the European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations ( EFCCA ).
Sister organizations in German-speaking countries are:
- Austrian Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis Association
- Swiss Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis Association
- FriendsAmici , association in South Tyrol / Trentino, Italy