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Crohn's disease can create severe symptoms followed by periods of remission that can last for weeks or years. The symptoms of Crohn's disease depend on where the disease occurs in the bowel and its severity. In general symptoms can include:

• Chronic diarrhoea, often bloody and containing mucus 
• Weight loss
• Chronic fatigue
• Constipation and malnutrition
• Joint, muscle and abdominal pain

Other symptoms can develop, depending on complications related to the disease.

Severe inflammation and obstruction of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract due to swelling and scar formation can cause other problems such as bowel perforation, abdominal distension (swelling), severe pain and fever. This can be life threatening.

 

Because Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disease, other parts of the body can become inflamed including the joints, eyes, mouth and skin. Gallstones and kidney stones may also develop as a result of Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is diagnosed in about 1 in 10,000 people every year. There are about 115,000 people in the UK currently with this disease. It can develop at any age but most commonly starts between the ages of 15 and 30. It affects women slightly more often than men. If you have a family member with Crohn's disease, you are more likely to develop the condition yourself.

I have been ill with Crohn's disease since 2007, Which has got progressively worse until December 2012 when I was eventually hospitalised.

Thanks to a strong yet expensive medication I have been stable since January 2013. 

I was supposed to take part in the 2012 Great North Run, but had to pull out because I was too ill.

I was surprised when I received an email from the Great Run team inviting me to take part in 2014, bearing in mind it was 2 months before the general entries come out, I had to enter.

I want to raise as much money as I can to help fund research to find a cure for this debilitating disease.

If you can...please help

Many thanks

Asa Behan