Next week I am cycling from London to Kent to raise money for the Ileostomy Association. My mum has suffered with an abnormally large bowel for most of her life and in 2014 was officially diagnosed by a doctor who saved her life. This was a momentous moment in her life and meant she needed to have a stoma bag fitted. She since has had many complications since the procedure, but we are all so grateful to the doctor who found this rare condition and saved her life.

I want to raise awareness about the cause, because as the daughter of somebody who has gone through this I have an understanding of how much she has gone through and know that there is little awareness and funding going into research at present. The condition is very debilitating and has caused her much embarrassment, subsequently affecting her quality of life where she can feel very anxious about being in public, where most people don't understand the severity of the condition. In addition, having an ileostomy requires a substantive change in diet. As a result, my mum has had many nutritional deficiencies as she is unable to eat many foods that we take advantage of. This can be problematic, especially when we consider we live in a culture that revolves around food in social events. 

It doesn't end there. My mum has suffered with epilepsy and is on a concoction of tablets every single day. She is entitled to no disability support benefit from the government, and has had to work full time throughout the condition which has been very hard for her emotionally and, of course, physically. The least I can do as her daughter is attempt to raise awareness for the condition, as well as for more than 20,000 in Britain an Ireland. There's a high chance that you have already met somebody who has had an ileostomy or an internal pouch, but what is not known is how hard it can be to manage at times.

Any donations, large or small, would be greatly appreciated to help raise money for the wonderful work the Ileostomy Association are doing for those who suffer with these issues. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving Page!!! 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.