David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Chrohn's Disease in the COVID-19 era: "My life revolves around going to the washroom"
'My life revolves around going to the washroom': COVID-19 leaves chronically ill begging for access
by Zahra Premji, CBC News
Dec 28, 2020
Remo Testini says he has to use GPS to find washroom locations on his route before he leaves home each day. (Shawn Foss / CBC News)
Mapping the nearest washrooms before leaving home is routine for Remo Testini. But add a pandemic to the mix and finding a bathroom can feel next to impossible.
For 14 years, Testini's been living with Crohn's disease; a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can lead to severe abdominal pain and a sudden urgent need to use a restroom, among other problems.
When at a job site as a labourer, Testini says, finding a gas station or coffee shop with an open washroom is a difficult endeavour at the best of times. But with COVID-19 the few he felt were available to him to use have now shut their doors.
"I really have to beg to use a washroom," Testini said.
If he has a flare up, which can happen suddenly for those living with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, he can have the urge to use a washroom. But if the nearby gas station or coffee shop won't let him use theirs, the consequences can be degrading and embarrassing.
"[It] just releases. It's not like you can control it. You don't know when it's going to happen. It can happen at any time. You could be standing in a line up, and all of a sudden it's like, 'Oh I gotta go,'" Testini said
He says going to the washroom away from home isn't something he wants to do, but often times, it's his only option. With COVID-19 numbers spiking across the country, more and more restroom doors are locked, and there's no public order forcing them to stay open.
B.C.'s Ministry of Health says public restrooms are deemed essential services. But there's no order mandating that other rest stops, like gas stations, keep the welcome mat out.
"We do encourage people to make it available to those in need in a safe way," Henry said on Dec. 11.
'People living in our community with invisible disabilities'
Testini is one of 33,000 British Columbians living with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. One in 140 Canadians live with one of the chronic illnesses, according to Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
Family physician Birinder Narang describes the chronic diseases as invisible, leaving many patients already feeling abandoned.
Dr. Birinder Narang says businesses need to follow rigorous COVID-19 safety measures and cleaning procedures but shouldn't be closing public access to their bathrooms. He says businesses are fearful of COVID-19, but he reminds them, there's no public health order dictating their closure.
"COVID transmission is droplet based and airborne. So, while it can live on surfaces, with regular cleaning, It hasn't been an identifiable source," Narang says.
Shell Canada and Tim Horton's are among the businesses that tell CBC News they're making an effort to keep washrooms open.
But, Testini says, the problem is many of those doors are still closed. He wants to see government mandate these businesses to keep their washrooms open.
"People use the washroom sometimes five to 20 times a day depending on how bad their flare is," said Matthew Sebastiani, the president of the Vancouver chapter of Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
The Go Here app from Crohn's and Colitis Canada allows users to log in and find a business that has kept its washrooms open to support those with chronic illnesses. (Shawn Foss / CBC News)
He says access to washrooms needs to be backed by government bodies, but for now, there's an app those living with chronic illnesses can use to find a washroom. It's something Testini relies on daily.
The Go Here app has businesses, all shared on a map, that support Crohn's and Colitis Canada and keep their washrooms open.
But if they don't, Testini says, he's often stuck sharing personal details about himself to a store clerk in hopes they'll empathize.
"Nobody wants to beg. Leave the washrooms open."
'My life revolves around going to the washroom': COVID-19 leaves chronically ill begging for access
by Zahra Premji, CBC News
Dec 28, 2020
Remo Testini says he has to use GPS to find washroom locations on his route before he leaves home each day. (Shawn Foss / CBC News)
Mapping the nearest washrooms before leaving home is routine for Remo Testini. But add a pandemic to the mix and finding a bathroom can feel next to impossible.
For 14 years, Testini's been living with Crohn's disease; a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can lead to severe abdominal pain and a sudden urgent need to use a restroom, among other problems.
When at a job site as a labourer, Testini says, finding a gas station or coffee shop with an open washroom is a difficult endeavour at the best of times. But with COVID-19 the few he felt were available to him to use have now shut their doors.
"I really have to beg to use a washroom," Testini said.
If he has a flare up, which can happen suddenly for those living with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, he can have the urge to use a washroom. But if the nearby gas station or coffee shop won't let him use theirs, the consequences can be degrading and embarrassing.
"[It] just releases. It's not like you can control it. You don't know when it's going to happen. It can happen at any time. You could be standing in a line up, and all of a sudden it's like, 'Oh I gotta go,'" Testini said
He says going to the washroom away from home isn't something he wants to do, but often times, it's his only option. With COVID-19 numbers spiking across the country, more and more restroom doors are locked, and there's no public order forcing them to stay open.
B.C.'s Ministry of Health says public restrooms are deemed essential services. But there's no order mandating that other rest stops, like gas stations, keep the welcome mat out.
"We do encourage people to make it available to those in need in a safe way," Henry said on Dec. 11.
'People living in our community with invisible disabilities'
Testini is one of 33,000 British Columbians living with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. One in 140 Canadians live with one of the chronic illnesses, according to Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
Family physician Birinder Narang describes the chronic diseases as invisible, leaving many patients already feeling abandoned.
Dr. Birinder Narang says businesses need to follow rigorous COVID-19 safety measures and cleaning procedures but shouldn't be closing public access to their bathrooms. He says businesses are fearful of COVID-19, but he reminds them, there's no public health order dictating their closure.
"COVID transmission is droplet based and airborne. So, while it can live on surfaces, with regular cleaning, It hasn't been an identifiable source," Narang says.
Shell Canada and Tim Horton's are among the businesses that tell CBC News they're making an effort to keep washrooms open.
But, Testini says, the problem is many of those doors are still closed. He wants to see government mandate these businesses to keep their washrooms open.
"People use the washroom sometimes five to 20 times a day depending on how bad their flare is," said Matthew Sebastiani, the president of the Vancouver chapter of Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
The Go Here app from Crohn's and Colitis Canada allows users to log in and find a business that has kept its washrooms open to support those with chronic illnesses. (Shawn Foss / CBC News)
He says access to washrooms needs to be backed by government bodies, but for now, there's an app those living with chronic illnesses can use to find a washroom. It's something Testini relies on daily.
The Go Here app has businesses, all shared on a map, that support Crohn's and Colitis Canada and keep their washrooms open.
But if they don't, Testini says, he's often stuck sharing personal details about himself to a store clerk in hopes they'll empathize.
"Nobody wants to beg. Leave the washrooms open."
