Programs & Services

How We Help

The GI (Gastrointestinal) Society was formed in 2008 on the foundation of its partner organization, the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (CSIR), founded in 1976. The staff of the GI Society run CSIR, but both organizations have a separate board of directors. Funds from both organizations support our core programs which focus on providing Canadians with trusted medically sound information to promote digestive and liver health.

Our Mission

The GI Society and CSIR are committed to improving the lives of people with gastrointestinal and liver conditions, supporting research, advocating for appropriate patient access to healthcare, and promoting gastrointestinal and liver health.

Our Core Programs

The GI Society and its partner charity the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research collaborate to provide a number of core programs and services that focus on providing Canadians with trusted medically sound information on digestive health. This section briefly outlines how we address great need with limited resources.

BadGut® Lectures

These free public forums cover various digestive topics for patients, caregivers, health care professionals, and other interested individuals across the country. We choose well-recognized experts to give each lecture, and a lively question and answer period always follows. You can find a list of upcoming lectures and past lectures on our website.

The Inside Tract® Newsletter

Canada’s quarterly gastrointestinal and liver disease and disorder publication, the Inside Tract® | Du coeur au ventreMC newsletter, contains current information on GI research, medications, alternative therapies, specific diet and nutrition guidelines, new technologies, helpful hints, Health Canada warnings, and explanations of disease processes. Subscription is $20 annually, which covers our postage cost and supports the production and distribution of valuable digestive health articles.

Information Pamphlets

We publish a complete series of free patient information pamphlets that explain an array of complex gastrointestinal conditions in lay terms, while answering frequently asked questions. These valued educational resources are shipped for free to individuals and healthcare facilities throughout Canada.

Our current patient information pamphlet series (available in English and French) includes:

Aging Digestive Tract
Biologics and Biosimilars
Celiac Disease
Clostridioides difficile Infection
Colorectal Polyps
Constipation
Crohn’s Disease
Diverticular Disease
Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease
Fibre
Functional Dyspepsia
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroparesis
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Hiatus Hernia
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Intestinal Gas
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Lactose Intolerance
Medical Cannabis
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Obesity
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency
Pancreatitis
Prebiotics, Probiotics, and the Microbiome
Short Bowel Syndrome
Stress Management
Support Groups
Ulcer Disease
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative Proctitis

Community Engagement & Advocacy

We advocate on behalf of the millions of Canadians affected by gastrointestinal and liver diseases and disorders. Staff and volunteer advisers work closely with health care professionals and governments at all levels to engage the public and government bodies. We strive for system-wide improvements in care and treatment for people with GI and liver diseases and disorders, because all patients deserve affordable access to appropriate health care and medication. Read more on our advocacy page.

Awareness

We were successful in having April proclaimed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, recognized by Health Canada. Every year we try to include an awareness campaign to support IBS patients.

Our website contains hundreds of articles and information on digestive and liver subjects as well as current information about our Societies events. The site is viewable on desktop and mobile devices.

We frequently publish on our website and social media accounts. Stay in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter. Watch, like, and share our educational videos from our YouTube channel. Most importantly, when you hear digestive health information that doesn’t sound medically sound, tell us about it or refer people to our website to get the facts right.

Get Involved

Volunteer

Each individual has their own set of skills and attributes, so if you think you have something special to offer the GI Society we would love to hear from you!

Office & Event Volunteers

We rely heavily on volunteers to help keep administration costs down. They generously donate time to ship pamphlets to health care professionals and hospitals, prepare the Inside Tract® newsletter for mailing, assist with administrative tasks, and support special events and educational sessions.

Donate

We need your ongoing support to continue to help the millions of Canadians who live with gastrointestinal and liver diseases and disorders, and for those who want to maintain a healthy digestive tract. The GI Society is a registered Canadian charity and can issue tax receipts for donations from Canadian addresses. The GI Society’s registered charity number is 817065352RR0001.

The GI Society guards donor dollars rigorously, ensuring maximum yield. We are frugal and efficient, spending far less than the national charitable average on governance and administration.

Donate now.

Follow the GI Society

facebook.com/gisociety
instagram.com/gisociety
twitter.com/GISociety
youtube.com/badgutcanada