It’s estimated that half a million Americans suffer from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is lifelong, incurable and debilitating. And many of them suffer as a side effect of defective acne drug Accutane, whose failures have prompted many Accutane lawsuits.

That’s not to say all UC victims took Accutane. Indeed, that may not have been the case for the mother of TV star James Van Der Beek.

A former Broadway dancer, she suffered UC in silence for many years, and her son never knew about it until he was finally told by his father. UC is an embarrassing condition, in that victims often are besieged by an abrupt, sudden need to have a bowel movement.

Her son, ex star of TV’s Dawson’s Creek and the recent series Mercy, was concerned that many UC sufferers do not come forward. So he decided to become the celebrity spokesman for Voices of UC, a campaign designed to heighten ulcerative colitis awareness.

Van Der Beek believes that an unwillingness or resistance to share the facts about their condition results in many UC sufferers not being diagnosed sooner. He says about a third are misdiagnosed initially, and as a result their treatment can be delayed on average by a year and a half.

“It’s not something that people like to talk about,” Van Der Beek told WENN, “but it’s important that they’re honest with their doctors.” He said he hopes to “raise awareness of UC and encourage those who suffer in secret and in silence, like my mom, to speak up about their condition with their families and friends and, most important, their physicians.”

His mother’s ulcerative colitis has unknown origins. But many people who suffer the disease, also known as UC, do so because they once took Accutane, an acne treatment designed to clear up blemishes. An Accutane side effect can be UC or Crohn’s disease, either of which may necessitate removal of the victim’s colon.

C is a lifelong and incurable condition, as is Crohn’s disease. That’s why it’s vital for victims who suffer such an IBD after taking acne medication Accutane to notify an Accutane lawyer or Accutane attorney. They may be legally entitled to financial compensation for their lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering, and such recovery can be achieved via an Accutane lawsuit.

Texas victims who have suffered an IBD such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease after taking Accutane are urged to alert a defective drug lawyer or attorney with Jim S. Adler & Associates for assistance.