The Great Bowel Movement is home to the original conversation-starting, awareness-spreading, patient-empowering IBD t-shirts.
Anyone can be an IBD spokesperson
Why “Ask Me” Shirts? It’s simple. We’re giving everyone the chance to become a poster child for Crohns, Colitis, J-Pouch, and Ostomy. These shirts truly are conversation starters. They’re the chance to not only invite conversations and share your story, but to become a role model as someone that’s proud of their experience and confident about telling the world about their disease.
The Great Bowel Movement shirts are designed to:
- Be worn out and about. Shirts are designed with a fun and familiar graphic, and are made to fit. They don’t spread awareness by sitting in a drawer with old gym clothes.
- Be purposeful. You’ve probably got a drawer full of shirts that say things like “Got Guts” and “Cure IBD”. Those are great, but they probably won’t get you more than a passing nod. GBM shirts have a specific goal: to invite conversations about IBD among family, friends, and strangers, and to spread awareness through telling your own story.
- Empower you. When you’re brave enough to go out in the world with your disease written on your shirt, and a clear invitation for disclosure, it’s a testament that you’re confident and accepting of your disease. And that’s something that takes work, and something to be proud of.
Start conversations. They do say “Ask Me”, and people will. Empowerment gives you the confidence to start the IBD conversation, to open doors to share your story and educate others, through which you have the opportunity to spread awareness.
- Allow anyone to be a poster child for IBD. We’re bringing a voice – your voice – to a silent illness. We’re gathering the Poop Troops, and working to fulfill our mission of IBD awareness through patient openness. Everyone affected by IBD has the power to educate one or a hundred new people. All you have to do is start talking.
- Create an awareness movement. When others see you wearing your shirt, they’re inspired. Maybe they didn’t ask, but they might look it up later, or they might talk with a loved one, or they might just feel a little bit better about their own illness, seeing you out there, proud of your disease. You inspired someone to follow your lead, share their own story, and bring us all closer to greater awareness.
Now did you ever think a tshirt could do so much? After all, the Great Bowel Movement was started based on a few people being extremely open about their diseases, and creating the tools to allow everyone to do the same.
Watch our intro video and see the need for awareness and the impact sharing your story can have: