Charity Mixed Netball Tournament to raise money & awareness for Crohn's & Colitis UK and Colostomy UK

Hello Everyone,

As some of you will know I shared my story in February 2020 with the intention of organising a Mixed Netball tournament to raise money for Crohn's & Colitis UK, however Covid 19 struck and meant we had to postpone the event.

My story has significantly progressed since I last wrote it 3 years ago so I thought it was important for me to explain my ongoing journey to outline why we are fundraising and now with the addition of Colostomy UK charity too.

In April 2017 I started to have some bleeding in my back passage, so I went to the Dr's and, I was told it was just piles and I was given some medication. With me being otherwise fit and healthy at the time, I took the Dr's word and accepted that's what it was. However, after a few weeks my symptoms were very much still present and in fact had got worse. They had developed further into constant diarrhoea & chronic stomach pain which ultimately led to me losing 3 stone in weight over a one month period. I knew this wasn't just piles so back to the Dr's I went where they then referred me to the Gastroenterology department up at Great Western Hospital. After months of seeing different Consultants and going through lots of CT/MRI Scans and colonoscopies, in September 2017 I was eventually diagnosed as having Crohn's to a severe level. Now, as you can imagine finally getting a diagnosis after what seemed like the longest 6 months of my life was the best news but on the other hand I had no idea what Crohn's disease was and what that then meant for my future.

Crohn's disease is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) which causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. This is caused by your immune system attacking your gut. Crohn's disease is a lifelong condition and at the moment has no cure. Medicines can be administered to suppress your immune system or surgery can take place to manage symptoms and keep them under control.

So once I had spoken with the Hospital and I was dedicated an IBD nurse we decided the best option was for me to try some immunosuppressant medications. I trialled 3 different medicines over the next 4 years ranging from injections to infusions. Now all these came with their own side effects which were tough to manage but eventually my inflammation was too severe that my body just rejected them. I had been on strong steroids for 3 years as well and I was told I needed to taper off them otherwise I could potentially damage my bones or other organs. In doing this, I became so weak I just couldn't function, I couldn't do my daily jobs, I couldn’t eat without pain, I couldn't leave the house or most importantly be a Mum to my Daughter who at the time was 5.

The only option left for me was surgery. After several discussions with my Consultant the best option for me was to have an ileostomy or some of you may know this as a stoma bag. This is where the small bowl is diverted through an opening in the abdomen. A bag is then placed on the abdomen to catch the poop. This was the news I had dreaded, the outcome I never wanted to get too. I always thought having surgery would be my body's way of giving up and that I would become a failure. This for me was the worst period of my life, having to accept I needed surgery to manage this disease. How would I look? How would I cope with a bag physically & mentally? How would my confidence be effected? What would other people think? Will the surgery work? Will it take away my pain? Will I get my life back? How do I explain this to my daughter? These were all questions running through my head but with the support of the Hospital and both of the charities I decided to go through with it. I had too, I had no other choice to get myself better.

So, in May 2021, I underwent a pre-planned ileostomy operation, which I'm pleased to say was a success. I feel very grateful to have received that during Covid times. The initial week after surgery was incredibly hard, the recovery was tough and the pain was unbearable and I cried so much. Each week after that, with the support of my Family, Friends, Hospital & Charities it became slightly easier. So much so that at the 12 week post op stage I did a 3km run. I slowly built up my diet along with my exercise and now nearly 2 years on I am the best I have felt since my diagnosis. It's not been a smooth ride as I have incurred a few blockages along the way, leakages and stomach bugs which have left me hospitalised with dehydration. The inflammation in my back passage has now turned to scar tissue so having the ileostomy potentially reversed will be a bit difficult than originally planned. However, I am happy and the stoma bag saved my life - literally! I now have my life back and can do anything I want and eat anything I like. My confidence is going from strength to strength and I am so grateful for being able to do things with friends and family.

I have had to make a few adaptations when I play Netball and that's wearing a support belt and a cup to protect my stoma but other than that I have been able to get back playing. So, because of all the above and mixed with finally getting rid of all Covid restrictions we thought this year would be the perfect way to rearrange the tournament. My passion has always been Netball and I have played since I was 7 years old so my Husband & I thought it would be a fantastic way to combine the two and raise vital funds for both charities and spread awareness. Both of which were vital in providing me support over the last 7 years. The work these charities do are crucial in trying to find a cure or supporting individuals with Crohn's/Stomas. Having a stoma is a hidden disability and I want to break the stigma around this and encourage everyone to always check their poo!!

Therefore, I am pleased to confirm we are now going ahead with the Mixed Netball tournament on Saturday 1st July 2023 @ Dorcan recreation Complex, Swindon SN3 5DA . Plans are very much on the way to making this event a great success and I want to thank everyone who has agreed to help us either before or on the day. Donations that were previously made have been transferred to this page so a big thank you for everyone's generous contributions already.

If anyone has any spare pennies to support these worthy charities we would be very grateful, whether that's by donating on here or coming down to the event on the day to show your support.

We are going to host a raffle on the day so if anyone has anything they could donate I would be happy to take off your hands. We are also looking for sponsorships for the event, so if interested please get in touch on ac_fundraising@outlook.com

All proceeds from the day will be split across both charities.

Thank you for reading. If you or anyone you know is struggling with Crohn's or having a stoma I would be more than happy to chat to you or put you in contact with the charities.

Chelsey xxx