Running for Crohn's & Colitis UK
It is World IBD day so seems fitting to share this today…
My brother Charley has struggled with Crohn’s Disease since before he was a teenager, ever since it’s been a mission to find medication that keeps him in remission, (remission meaning no inflammation and no pain on day to day living), along came infliximab which gave him 6 years of living a fairly normal life, but unfortunately his body got used to infliximab and antibodies grew against it so he began to suffer with pain on a daily basis again. For the past year he’s tried all sorts to try get his Crohns under control again; steroids, liquid diets and other medications which have caused other autoimmune conditions because of their side effects. This led to multiple hospital admissions, and unfortunately it was decided that the only other option left to help put him back into remission was surgery.
Well, if only it was that simple. 2 major surgeries within 2 weeks, 2 bowel perforations, an icu admission, a transfer to Salford royal icu, a blood clot in his jugular vein, 2 big bleeds & a fight against sepsis later. He’s now on an intestinal failure unit in Salford trying to get back a level of fitness he was in just 1 month ago but it will take months to get him to that point. He is unable to eat or drink and has all nutrition through a central line. There is still a long road of recovery ahead. The decision will then be made on whether to put him through a 3rd major surgery. In a consultants words “not many would have survived this” .
Crohns & colitis effects 500,000 people in the UK & there is no cure, it’s a long term chronic illness that is often invisible. It’s a lifelong and life changing condition. Myself and my family have felt so helpless through all of this, only being able to be there to give him words of support & not be able to take his pain away or know what was going to happen. I was driving down the prom seeing people running a half marathon with tears in my eyes & I thought if Charley can go through all of this then I can get my lazy ass out of this pit of worry and sadness & start running to raise money for crohns and colitis UK, to help fund research into treatments and medications, to help prevent other people having to go through what Charley has, & to hopefully one day find a cure. Anyone who knows me knows I can’t even walk up the stairs without getting breathless so please please donate whatever you can and I’m gonna run a half bloody marathon.
Myself, my boyfriend Lewis, best friend Sarah and her boyfriend Adam are going to do the Manchester half marathon in October & we’d like to raise as much money as possible for Crohns & Colitis UK & if I can raise awareness of these conditions and the effects they can have on individuals lives then that’s a bonus too.
I’m so proud of you Charley, what you’ve been through, your attitude and who you are as a person has been inspiring & I can’t wait to see you feeling good about yourself which WILL happen. It’s going to take time but no matter what we are all going to be by your side xxx Thank you for any donations it is greatly appreciated ✨
My brother Charley has struggled with Crohn’s Disease since before he was a teenager, ever since it’s been a mission to find medication that keeps him in remission, (remission meaning no inflammation and no pain on day to day living), along came infliximab which gave him 6 years of living a fairly normal life, but unfortunately his body got used to infliximab and antibodies grew against it so he began to suffer with pain on a daily basis again. For the past year he’s tried all sorts to try get his Crohns under control again; steroids, liquid diets and other medications which have caused other autoimmune conditions because of their side effects. This led to multiple hospital admissions, and unfortunately it was decided that the only other option left to help put him back into remission was surgery.
Well, if only it was that simple. 2 major surgeries within 2 weeks, 2 bowel perforations, an icu admission, a transfer to Salford royal icu, a blood clot in his jugular vein, 2 big bleeds & a fight against sepsis later. He’s now on an intestinal failure unit in Salford trying to get back a level of fitness he was in just 1 month ago but it will take months to get him to that point. He is unable to eat or drink and has all nutrition through a central line. There is still a long road of recovery ahead. The decision will then be made on whether to put him through a 3rd major surgery. In a consultants words “not many would have survived this” .
Crohns & colitis effects 500,000 people in the UK & there is no cure, it’s a long term chronic illness that is often invisible. It’s a lifelong and life changing condition. Myself and my family have felt so helpless through all of this, only being able to be there to give him words of support & not be able to take his pain away or know what was going to happen. I was driving down the prom seeing people running a half marathon with tears in my eyes & I thought if Charley can go through all of this then I can get my lazy ass out of this pit of worry and sadness & start running to raise money for crohns and colitis UK, to help fund research into treatments and medications, to help prevent other people having to go through what Charley has, & to hopefully one day find a cure. Anyone who knows me knows I can’t even walk up the stairs without getting breathless so please please donate whatever you can and I’m gonna run a half bloody marathon.
Myself, my boyfriend Lewis, best friend Sarah and her boyfriend Adam are going to do the Manchester half marathon in October & we’d like to raise as much money as possible for Crohns & Colitis UK & if I can raise awareness of these conditions and the effects they can have on individuals lives then that’s a bonus too.
I’m so proud of you Charley, what you’ve been through, your attitude and who you are as a person has been inspiring & I can’t wait to see you feeling good about yourself which WILL happen. It’s going to take time but no matter what we are all going to be by your side xxx Thank you for any donations it is greatly appreciated ✨
Organizer
Jessica Desborough
Organizer
Crohn's & Colitis UK
Beneficiary