This cause has become close to my heart in the last year. Crohn's disease is a condition that I had very little knowledge of previously, but have had to learn a lot about. Right now, an estimated 500,000 people in the UK are living with Crohn's or Colitis, lifelong diseases that many people have never heard of. And the real number could be almost double that. From experience, the pathway to diagnosis can be a long, drawn-out, and complicated one, especially for children and young people. Early signs and symptoms can be easily mistaken for something else, and because of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding these diseases, thousands of people often suffer in silence. In our case, it took almost 18 months from the first GP visit to final diagnosis. But diagnosis is just the first step. Adapting to this diagnosis, understanding how the condition impacts you, and finding the right treatment will also be very different for everyone.

Me and my dad will be going sober for 100 days (from 15th April - 24th July) to raise funds and awareness for this cause. Please do donate if you can.

Any money that you help us raise will help to:

- provide high-quality information, and support those in need through our Helpline services

- campaign for better health services and improved lives for people with Crohn’s and Colitis

- fund vital research into treatments for the conditions

If you can't donate, please share and help to raise awareness about the signs, symptoms, and impact of inflammatory bowel disease.

Thank you xx