Hello, I'm Becky and I'm hiking to Everest Base Camp for Crohn's and Colitis UK. Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page :)

A little bit about me...

I'm 27, I am a lover of languages, travel and the outdoors. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at the age of 15, after 2 years of being extremely unwell. Over the years, I have had a number of surgeries, tried more medications than I can remember, been hospitalised, had countless tests, scans and procedures and attended so many hospital appointments that I'm not going to attempt to count.

I decided to take on this huge 3 week trekking challenge to raise money for this fantastic cause (my family have certified me insane!). I would also like to raise awareness for IBD and Crohn's Disease. So many people haven't even heard of Crohn's disease and this needs to change, we need to encourage better understanding and challenge the stigma that surrounds bowel conditions.

When I was diagnosed at the age of 15 with a life-long health condition, I thought my life was over. I didn't think I would achieve anything or be able to live a 'normal' life. I had never even heard of IBD and I was terrified. It took me a long time to accept it and also to be able to speak about it openly and honestly, something that I still struggle with today. I hope that sharing this journey with you will also further allow me to accept and give me confidence to speak openly about my illness.

My attitude has always been to never let Crohn's stop me! Yet some days I have to accept that I need to rest and even my daily activities are a challenge. I suffer from severe fatigue, pain, urgency, diarrhoea, joint pain and mouth ulcers on a daily basis. I currently take immunosuppressants in the form of infusions of Vedolizumab, a biologic medication, to help keep me in remission which also comes with side effects and it weakens my immune system.

There are good times and bad times, periods of remission and times when I can't even leave my bed. It has a huge impact on my life every day, both physically and mentally. With all my symptoms, I know this challenge is going to be extremely tough, not only do I need to train to be fit enough to complete the challenge, I need to ensure that my health is managed and I am prepared to tackle every symptom in the mountains. Having an illness sometimes means you have to think outside the box and plan ahead, but I am determined to be able to complete this challenge. I want to help inspire people with IBD, other medical conditions or disabilities that you can achieve your dreams and that it doesn't mean you can't live a fulfilling life!

I will be documenting my journey on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adventurebecky, to bring you along with me to Everest Base Camp. I will be sharing my training, my experience living with IBD and some information about IBD and Crohn's disease.

Thank you so much for reading my story and for supporting me, I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I would also like to thank my family, friends and my IBD team at the John Radcliffe Hospital for their kindness and support!

Please follow my journey and also learn about IBD along the way. If you are in the position to donate, please kindly donate to this fantastic charity that carries out research and offers patients and families a support network to help improve the lives of people with IBD - read more below.

Please help me raise awareness for this cause which is so close to my heart, thank you all!

Becky