The initial symptom was mucus in my stool, soon followed by diarrhoea with blood. These signs should have been alarming, but it wasn’t until I lost control of my bowels during a run and had to waddle home, desperately trying to cover up the accident, that I finally called my GP for an appointment.

After consulting my doctor, I was scheduled for a colonoscopy within two weeks. Given my family history—my uncle had passed away from bowel cancer—they initially wanted to rule out cancer. Post-colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a term I was unfamiliar with at the time and just thought it would require some medication and I’d be back fit and healthy again.

Following my diagnosis, I sought to learn as much as possible about the condition. It’s easy to fall into the trap of asking, ‘Why me?’ or ‘What caused this?’ but focusing on what I could control proved helpful. The IBD team at my hospital directed me to resources on the Crohn’s & Colitis UK website and suggested joining the charity’s community groups. Diagnosed during lockdown, these resources were invaluable during an isolating period.

Since my diagnosis, I’ve had to modify my exercise routines. I now experience fatigue more easily and have adapted to gentler forms of exercise on difficult days. My diet has also changed. While there’s no definitive evidence that specific foods cause, cure, or treat inflammation in Colitis, many, including myself, find that certain foods can either alleviate or exacerbate symptoms.

Humour has been a crucial coping mechanism for me. Laughing at myself has helped me navigate the darker times and negative feelings. I’ve lost count of the number of ‘accidents’ I had before achieving remission, but in those moments, you have two choices: laugh or cry.