Submitted by Celinda Martinez, Feb 12, 2008 00:48

Thank you for writing this article. Our son, Gabe Martinez was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 7 years ago at the age of 13. Gabe along with two other Texas children lobbied and got the Texas Restroom Access Act passed this past legislative session and their bill became law on Sept. 1, 2007. This is not a topic anyone ever wants to discuss and sadly, people who do not suffer from crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis seem to be clueless. What we always tell them is remember the last time you had the stomach flu or experienced food poisoning, remember that "urgent" feeling to get to the bathroom as soon as possible? Well, you get over these viruses within a couple of days....imagine living your life with that sense of "urgency." Worse, imagine the humiliation of being out in public, needing to use a restroom only to be denied.

A couple of months ago Gabe and I had a conversation about New York and the lack of restroom access because it was on the news. He told me, "I guess I can never plan on vacationing there because I won't haev access to restrooms." Passage of this legislation will allow the 1.4 million Americans who sffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the ability to experience New York without worry!

No individual should have to be a prisoner to their home because they're afraid to be denied access to something as basic as a toilet! Having the assurance that you will be granted access should the need arise affords the IBD community to have more freedom and gives them the ability to go out shopping with confidence.

For those who do not understand crohn's and ulcerative colitis, I urge you to go to www.ccfa.org and read and learn about these illnesses. Passage of this legislation is the right thing to do. In Texas our law stipulated that a patient must have a note from their physician explaining they have a medical illness that requires immediate access to a restroom or; alternatively, they can become a registered member of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and a membership card will be mailed to them. The backside of the membership card explains the individual has a medical condition and may need immediate access to a restoom.

Again, thank you for covering this topic. I look forward to reading follow-up articles as the bill progresses.

Celinda Martinez, Pflugerville, Tx

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