I am taking part in the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge walk from Corfe Castle to Weymouth (34km/21.13miles) to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK is a charity very close to my heart, my wife Jessica was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis 5 years ago on Valentines Day. She has had a rollercoaster of a journey with it to say the least but she did it all with a positive attitude and a smile on her face (most of the time) She has tried so many medications that I can’t even remember the names of them - all I know is nothing worked. So on the 7th of November 2024, she underwent subtotal colectomy surgery, having her whole large bowel removed and now lives with a Stoma that she has called Norma. Following surgery we have now found out that Jess is part of a rare group of people that had both Crohn’s and Colitis and had been misdiagnosed so we are now starting our next step of the journey.

However, after 5 years I finally feel like I have my girl back, the funny, spontaneous girl who I thought was gone forever and I am so blessed to see her live her life not in pain. Seeing the person you love spend every day of their life in pain is heartbreaking and the guilt you feel when there is nothing you can do will be with me forever…

So, on the 17th May 2025 I will walking the Jurassic Coast with my beautiful wife while wearing a stoma bag and carrying a knitted bowel with me (to the measurements and weight of what Jess has had taken out) this is our first step in doing something active together for the first time in a long time and it’s something I never thought we would be able to do.

Right now, an estimated 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease that many people have never heard of. I am hoping that our fundraising can improve accurate diagnosis and treatment, to fund research into a cure and to raise awareness!

Thank you, Stephen 💜