When I watch Joe struggling with his Crohn’s I feel absolutely devastated. There’s no other word for it really. It is just the saddest thing to me. I wouldn’t change Joe for the world, but it is really hard to watch one of the people you love most feeling so ill.

I often feel a bit powerless really, but I will do anything I can to relieve Joe’s discomfort. I spoil him rotten if I’m totally honest! Many’s a time I’ve done things for him that I might not do otherwise. I’ve taken him on numerous holidays and bought him all sorts of things just to put a smile on his face. It’s a privilege to be able to do that. I want him to know that life is about nice things too. I’ll often promise him: ‘When we get out of hospital, we are going to do X, Y and Z’– just to keep his spirits up. I do the only thing I know how to do: spoil him rotten! It drives my husband mad and it drives my daughter mad as well, but we all adore Joe and we’d do anything for him.

We’re a very happy, close family. Joe works with me now that he’s older and I just look after him to the best of my ability all the time. I don’t want him to get stressed by things. Life can be tough enough without that. I always say Joe has the best of both worlds because his dad treats him exactly the way that I would want him to – as if there’s nothing going on – whereas I just want to wrap him up in cotton wool!

We’re all very open with each other in my house. Sometimes Joe finds it tricky to talk to other people about his Crohn’s but I’m the person he’ll sit down with and say: “I don’t feel that great today, Mum. I don’t feel positive. I’m in pain."

It’s because he will only really talk to me that I have such a voice on his behalf when we’re in hospital. I know every single movement that he makes when it comes to his Crohn’s. He will tell me everything. I know that I drive the doctors bonkers because they’ll say he’s an adult, because he's 22. Absolutely, he is an adult, I know that – but he’s also a bit of a typical bloke who’ll sit there and go: ‘I’m fine thanks!’ So I tend to speak up when he needs me.

There’s no doubt that Joe’s Crohn’s has been a huge part of our lives for more than a decade now. But my son is about so much more than just his condition. He loves music, running, travelling when he can- and he’s involved investments now so he’s got a huge interest in helping people look after their money. He’s also got loads of friends who are a massive part of his life.

The support that Crohn’s & Colitis UK has given me has been huge – right from the beginning. I first started to fundraise a few years ago now, by doing my first half marathon for the charity and I’ve met lots of people through the charity. People constantly ask me: ‘Is it like IBS?’ And I think: ‘No! It’s very different!’ So it’s nice to have people to talk to who really understand. It’s done me no end of good to talk to the people at Crohn’s & Colitis UK who know what it’s really like.