Christmas has always been a special time for me. As a music teacher, I am always so busy with the run up to the holidays: Carol services, Christmas concerts, crafts and lots of excitement! But since my Crohn’s diagnosis in 2021, it’s become one of the toughest times.

Each December, I’ve found myself in the hospital, facing serious complications, cancelling plans and feeling totally isolated from my family and friends. During one of those stays, I discovered Crohn’s & Colitis UK through the IBD nurses.

It was a turning point - finding a community that truly understands has made all the difference, especially during moments of isolation. I know how much it means to feel connected and understood during such a lonely time. You and your loved ones may have faced similar, and know what it means to have Crohn’s & Colitis UK by your side. 

It was October 2006, and I had just started university when I first got sick with violent diarrhoea and vomiting. By December, I was in a really bad way, so I was rushed into hospital, and that’s when I found out I had Crohn’s. It was right over the Christmas period, and I was released on New Year’s Eve.  That was my first experience of being in hospital at Christmas, but unfortunately not my last.

In 2010, I was rushed in for emergency stoma surgery after my bowel perforated. That was really tough. I was so out of it and so sick that I forgot what time of year it was. In fact, the only time it dawned on me that it was Christmas, was when Santa turned up on the ward, shook my hand and gave me a Lynx Africa!

I had more surgery the next Christmas too. I wrote a couple of the tracks from my first album when I was in hospital and they’re all about trying to find that positivity even when it all seems hopeless. I was 19 and still in denial about my Crohn’s when my mum first told me to check out Crohn’s & Colitis UK. I’m so glad I did, because the community has been a huge support for me, and I hope I have made a difference in my work as an ambassador for the charity.

When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t know anyone with IBD. Joining Crohn’s & Colitis UK changed that. I’ve got loads of “Crohnies” in my phone now. And if I can be that person for someone else, then that’s great.

I’ll never forget the events of a recent Christmas. On December 26th, I was feeling unwell and called 111. They advised me to go straight to the hospital. Unfortunately, the roads to my regular hospital were closed due to flooding, so we had to find another hospital where I wasn’t known. 

Without access to my full medical records and my usual IBD team, the doctors struggled to understand what was happening. My condition worsened quickly, I developed ulcers in my mouth, throat, and windpipe, and couldn’t keep anything down. Finally, just after midnight on New Year's Eve, a nurse managed to insert a feeding tube after hours of trying.

During my two-week hospital stay, I never met with a nutritionist, even though my condition clearly called for one. The Christmas season meant fewer staff on duty, and I felt abandoned during a time when I desperately needed support. My mental health took a serious hit, and I struggled to maintain any hope. I wanted to be surrounded by my family during such a difficult time. The scars of that experience remain, and it taught me just how crucial it is to feel understood and supported during these challenging times.

It was during this time that I turned to Crohn's & Colitis UK. The resources they provided helped me navigate my recovery, and the sense of community I found through them was life changing. Knowing there were people out there who truly understood my experience made a world of difference.

Today, I work for Crohn’s & Colitis UK, and I hear firsthand how the charity makes a difference everyday for people like me. I know how much it means to feel connected and understood during such a lonely time.