On Nov. 12, 2015, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine announced receipt of a major philanthropic donation from longtime supporters, Ruth and Bill Scott. The donation allowed UNMC/Nebraska Medicine to become one of the top centers in the country for treatment and research of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IBD involves chronic inflammation of all or part of the digestive tract and primarily includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. IBD is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks elements of the digestive system. It is estimated that 1.6 million Americans suffer from IBD.