I (Craig) was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in November, following several months of symptoms. What initially started as an upset stomach, quickly developed into something more serious and resulted in a 15kg weight loss in two months. After suffering endless sleepless nights and more frequent changes in bowel movement, I finally gave into Imogen's concerns and sought medical advice.

Following many appointments, blood tests and procedures, including an MRI and colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and put on medication to ease the inflammation and ulceration of my colon.  

I feel so very fortunate to have received treatment and to finally be feeling more like myself, but the whole experience made me realise how hesitant people are at speaking out about digestive problems. So, to raise awareness and hopefully give people confidence to seek advice at an earlier stage than I did, Imogen and I are taking on the Cotswold Way 100km challenge this summer. For us, we've discovered our love and passion for walking over the past year (one of the few good outcomes of lockdown!) and are setting ourselves the challenge of completing this over 2 days - 26th-27th June 2021 and aim to raise as much as we can for the brilliant charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK: a charity that offers invaluable support and guidance for people suffering. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page, any donation would be hugely appreciated! 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.