Disabling, chronic, painful, taboo… Digestive diseases affect millions of people around the world and have been associated with a substantially altered quality of life. Understanding the causes and developing new solutions to help people affected by digestive diseases is a real public health challenge. Both research and medical communities are at the forefront. With the aim of improving the management of digestive diseases and ultimately the patients’ quality of life, Professor Pierre Desreumaux, Roquette and Lesaffre teamed up to create DigestScience, a public foundation committed to fighting against digestive diseases and therefore improving the health and well-being of millions.
For more than 10 years, DigestScience has been dedicated to the cause of digestive diseases not only by supporting digestive disease research and helping patients living with their conditions, but also by training caregivers and raising awareness about diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At Lesaffre, we are convinced that nutrition plays an important role in preventing these digestive diseases and symptom management. Among these nutritional solutions, probiotics, defined as ‘live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host’, provide great hope for helping people. As an example, Gnosis by Lesaffre developed ibSium, a probiotic yeast which may help support intestinal comfort in people with digestive discomfort (1).
We support the foundation through financial donations, dedicated R&D work and a united and motivated team of Lesaffre volunteers. Every year, hundreds of our devoted employees donate their time and expertise to make the annual DigestScience Testathlon run smoothly ౼ from managing logistics to raising awareness and generating interest and publicity around the event.