Awareness campaigns and public education

Guts UK is committed to raising vital awareness about digestive symptoms and conditions.

There’s stigma surrounding our guts and as a nation, we’re not comfortable talking about them. 58% of people tells us that they’re embarrassed about their digestive symptoms, and 51% telling us that they’ve delayed seeking help for more than six months.

We know that people are suffering in silence and alone, and something needs to change. Guts UK delivers annual awareness campaigns including #GUTSelfie and Kranky Panky, as well as supporting recognised awareness weeks and months dedicated to digestive conditions throughout the year.

We share information about digestive conditions, helping people to better understand the symptoms to look out for and encourage them to seek help. We amplify the voices of our community, who boldy and bravely share their stories and experiences in the hopes of helping others who are affected by digestive conditions. We celebrate our research projects, highlighting the life-changing research that Guts UK funds to improve the diagnosis and treatment of digestive conditions.

There are lots of ways you can get involved, from attending our online and in-person events, to sharing your own story of life with a digestive condition, or taking part in campaigns like #GUTSelfie.

Together, we can help the UK get to grips with guts.

Two of our team members are stood behind an information stand, with Guts UK leaflets and posts. They are talking to two people of the other side of the table.
Two of our team members, Amy and Julie, chatting to members of the public at our Science of Digestion event in Hull in 2024.

Ways to get involved

There are lots of ways to help Guts UK raise awareness of digestive conditions and symptoms, whether that’s sharing your own story about your journey to diagnosis of a digestive condition, attending one of our public events, or uniting with others in our community to take part in social media campaigns like #GUTSelfie.

A family of three smile for the camera when taking a selfie. One parent is holding up their shirt to reveal our temporary #GUTSelfie tattoos on their stomach, whilst the other is wearing a Guts UK branded t-shirt and holding up a sign that says 'This is my #GUTSelfie'. The is a child in between them, who is wearing a Guts UK t-shirt rolled up to show their stomach, showing off more of our temporary tattoos.
Campaigns like #GUTSelfie bring people affected by digestive conditions together to raise vital awareness for digestive conditions.

Learn more and get involved

A man with short dark hair and a short dark beard is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a blue, shortsleeved t-shirt and is slightly raising it on one side to show a black stoma bag. The t-shirt has Guts UK's logo on it in green and white. He is holding a sign that says 'This is my #GUTSelfie'

Find out more about #GUTSelfie

Amee is propped up in a hospital bed wearing a hospital gown, holding her baby and her assistance dog, a grey Staffy called Belle, is also in the photo.

Find out more about Kranky Panky

A photograph of Ross Marsden, patient and family advocate, and Jackie Baillie, Member of Scottish Parliament, stand together and smile at the camera.

Check out upcoming awareness dates

Leanne has long blonde hair, which she is wearing down. She is smiling at the camera. She has a feeding tube running into her nose, which is visible in the photo. She is wearing a Guts UK branded t-shirt, which is blue, green and white.

Share your story