The campaign hopes to spread awareness for the Go Here app developed as a way to improve washroom access for the hundreds of thousands of people living with IBD.
Lori Radke, President and CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, notes that living with IBD can “create such a lonely existence” because people are often forced to stay home to avoid risking an accident out in public.
“You know where your washroom is at home, and you feel safe when you’re at home because you’re not going to disrupt other people’s schedules,” she said. “You’re not going to end up having an accident when you’re travelling from A to B and not able to get to a bathroom.”
The consequences of a lack of public washroom access in Canada
People living with inflammatory bowel disorder or other disorders that affect the digestion system also have to contend with knowing where a bathroom will be at all times. It’s a part of their life because, for many, taking as many as five to 20 bowel movements a day is their reality.
To add insult to injury, their condition is unpredictable in the way that it flares, making it challenging to predict when and where they will need to take a washroom break. Bowel urgency is also common in people with IBD, making time of the essence when looking for a washroom as well.
For many, this can lead to feelings of isolation because when a person isn’t sure they will have access to the facilities when they need it, it can keep them from living their lives.
“I think a lot of people with Crohn’s or colitis stay at home for that reason,” said Radke.
Spreading awareness to improve washroom access
On Tuesday, November 26, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation took to the busy streets of downtown Toronto with a locked porta-potty to raise awareness of what it feels like to need a washroom but not have access to one. The campaign, aptly named “Locked Out,” also aims to raise awareness of the GoHere app, a phone app designed to help people find washrooms nearby when they need them. However, the campaign doesn’t stop there.
“We want people to know that we have this Go Here app, and we also want to generate awareness among businesses so that more locations sign up to be part of Go Here,” said Radke.
By demonstrating the campaign on the busy streets of Toronto, Radke hopes to bring more businesses on board with the Go Here app, providing users with more options.
The app uses GPS and location and highlights public access washrooms nearest to the person using the app. It allows people with IBD and other gastrointestinal issues a tool to use so that they can feel safe to travel freely throughout their world while always having a good handle on where they can use the bathroom if the situation arises.
Both users and businesses can sign up for free on Go Here, making it accessible to anyone.
“There are two ways that Go Here works. You can look up, based on the location you’re in right now, where are there washrooms close to you that have signed up for the Go Here program and will allow you to come in and use the bathroom, no questions asked,” said Radke. “The other thing you can do is map out a route. So, say, next week, I’m planning to drive from here to Sarnia, and I think I’m going to have to stop along the way, along that route, where are the washrooms that have access?”
Simply put, the app can help you both in emergencies and in planned situations to provide peace of mind to people living with IBD and other bowel disorders.
Seeing results but aiming higher
Currently, around 46,000 users and 3,600 businesses have signed up for the Go Here app, and it continues to grow as more awareness is spread. And as more people and businesses sign up for the app, the better the user experience will be for those that use it.
“The more people we can get using the app, the more we can do to improve and enhance it,” said Radke.
Many places across the country have already jumped on board with Go Here, with even some small towns getting the message, such as Radke’s current home, Stratford.
“I’m amazed when I go to restaurants here. The Go Here app sticker is on a lot of restaurants and stores here in the small town. So, I think there must have been a really active volunteer at one point that lived in Stratford that really went door-to-door and got people to support the program,” said Radke.
Radke hopes to see the app become “far-reaching” so Canadians across the country can be made aware of the app.
“We want people with IBD to know about the app and to share it and to download it and to talk about it with their friends and increase usership, but we also want awareness to get to business owners, municipalities, government officials, influencers, that can open their doors up for inclusion on the app,” said Radke.
Signing up is immensely beneficial for those who need or would like better washroom access, whether during their daily commute or on their road trips up north. This is especially true for people who have remained isolated due to their IBD.
As Radke puts it, knowing “that there are places you can stop where you won’t be denied access” is a crucial and much-needed step in improving washroom access for people living with IBD or other digestive or bladder issues, allowing them to take more control of their time away from home, essentially getting their lives back in the process.