Guts UK, formerly known as the Digestive Disorders Foundation, is a British medical

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

charity Charity may refer to: Common meanings * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sha ...

dedicated to the research of digestive disorders. In 1970, the Council of the

British Society of Gastroenterology The British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) is a British professional organisation of gastroenterologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, scientists, nurses, dietitians and others amongst its members, which number over 4,000. It was founde ...

first considered founding a charity to promote research in this speciality. A steering group, chaired by their President at the time, Dr Nelson Coghill, compiled facts and figures which established the importance of digestive disorders as a national health problem. Using this evidence as a basis for appeal, a Digestive Disorders Trust Fund was established. Dr Thomas Hunt, a founder member of the British Society of Gastroenterology, agreed to launch the new charity. He succeeded in attracting prominent lay and professional support. By 1974 its funds were sufficient to award the first research fellowship and to inaugurate the charity as a Foundation with Hunt as its first President. On his death in 1980, Sir Francis Avery Jones took over the presidency for the next 12 years. Important landmarks during this time were the appointment of the first full-time director, expansion of research support and the development of the successful patient information programme.

References

Health charities in the United Kingdom Gastroenterology organizations {{UK-charity-stub