A 12-year-old Wainuiomata school girl wants the government to guarantee access to workplace toilets for those living with Crohn’s and Colitis.

Nicole Thornton found out she had Crohn’s disease at the age of 7.

Now, five years later, she is advocating for the 20,000 other Kiwis living with the disease.

Thornton presented her petition with more than 3,000 signatures to Hutt South MP Trevor Mallard at parliament today.

Thornton said it was difficult for those with the disease to control when they needed to go to the bathroom.

She said people ran into real difficulty when there were no public toilets available and had to approach workplaces to use their bathrooms.

“With Crohn’s, you don’t have time to explain why you have Crohn’s, it’s too late, you can’t hold on.”

Thornton said the disease could spring up at any time. 

“I’ve had a relapse a few times and they’re horrible, absolutely horrible, and you get cramps in your stomach and your stomach turns and you’re basically in the toilet for the whole day.”

Thornton said she hoped those with the disease would soon be able to hold a small card that would legally bind businesses to provide access to their bathrooms.

Her mother Suz Gibb said teenagers has enough on their plate without worrying about where the closest bathroom is.

“They’ve got enough social pressures in their worlds and to fit and to feel cool, that’s what they all want to be like, but if they have a condition like this then it’s that added pressure.

“So if we alleviate that with a simple card, that’s giving them access to restrooms, it’s straight forward.”

Hutt South MP Trevor Mallard said he was confident the petition would get traction in parliament.

“As far as the principle is concerned, you’d have to be a pretty uncaring person not to support it.”

He said challenges included security.

“I think some people will be anxious about security aspects, letting people in, questions about whether the cards should actually have a photo on it.”

A law change would give those with Crohn’s and other conditions such as pregnancy, access to workplace toilets across New Zealand or businesses risk a fine for being non-compliant.