Being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease back in December of 2021 made me realize that my life would now be forever impacted by this diagnosis. The constant reminder of it through daily tablets and repetitive hospital appointments left me feeling very alone and isolated, restrained to my bed day to day. I should have been out of the house, at school, and with friends, living a normal life.

However, I wasn’t living the life I had always expected. Although now 2 years in remission, I often reflect back on my long journey of diagnosis and the persistent flare that just wouldn’t go away. It is a constant reminder in my life, but I have come to realize that I am normal. I won’t let it define me anymore; it is who I am, and I am proud of myself for going through something not many people even have awareness about.

As an 18-year-old, I used to be embarrassed about my illness and would make my close friends lie about what was wrong when I was off high school for 6 months. More recently, especially over the Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week, I have not let it shame me and have a high level of pride when it comes to my disease.

This is why I am fundraising for Crohn’s & Colitis UK to raise awareness for the illness's debilitating physical and mental effects. My goal is to educate people about its impact and dispel any shame associated with it. This is a reminder that no one is alone; be proud of who you are.

Over the course of January, I will be participating in a minimum of 31 minutes of exercise every single day. This will be a great challenge for me as I hate exercise!!! But it is for a great cause and I am desperate for awareness so let’s do it!

Crohn’s & Colitis UK are the biggest charity for IBD in the UK and raise money day to day to help fund for research about this disease that has no cure nor no known cause.