After years of agony, I’m on a mission to raise awareness
KAYLEIGH Donovan has opened up about finally getting a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and how she works hard to raise awareness.
The Billingham woman weighed around six stone, lost half of her hair and her teeth started to fall apart from malnourishment, she lost jobs and friends and sadly, felt it was her own doing.
The 28-year-old started getting symptoms in her teens, it began with certain foods causing pain and quickly progressed to everything Kayleigh ate or drank – the daily need for food and drink became a constant source of pain.
After almost a decade of being told it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), it wasn’t until Kayleigh fell pregnant that she felt she was taken seriously.
She said: “I had a really rough pregnancy – perianal abscesses that were the size of grapefruits and I ended up with lots of fistulas. I was induced at 37 weeks due to all the difficulties and gave birth to a healthy gorgeous boy in May 2019.
“Three weeks later I was rushed into surgery with sepsis, I had a bowel resection and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – the surgeon told me he could see it was years of damage which I never fully recovered from.
“I suffered from postnatal depression (PND) because I was away from my baby and didn’t have the strength to take care of him the way I thought I should be. I was tube-fed, had recurring sepsis and ended up back in hospital in July 2020 for emergency surgery – where they removed my rectum, half of my large bowel and four metres of my small bowel and gave me a permanent stoma.
“This has made my life so much better! I’ve built up my strength and was in remission for a few years but Crohn’s still kicks my butt and I’m due to have more surgery again soon, to place a second stoma whilst my bowel heals – then in a year’s time do it all over again to reverse that stoma and go back to my old one.
“I’m doing things I’d never had imagined doing before and so grateful for life now, even if it’s just the small things like cups of tea and hugs of my kids.”
After finally getting her diagnosis, Kayleigh has rallied to raise awareness for other people going through exactly what she did. She aims to be the voice for people who are still finding their own.
Kayleigh added: “The more I read online and in support groups I realised how many people struggle to get a diagnosis like I did and from then on I started raising as much awareness as possible.
“I have my own IBD awareness Instagram profile and part of the @stomasquad which is a group of ten of us who are trying to break the stigma of stoma.
“I met a lovely friend, Leah, through an online support group who has Crohn’s and a stoma too. She helped me so much with all kinds of tips, tricks and support.
“I don’t think I’d have accepted my stoma and diagnosis so easily if it wasn’t for her – and it just goes to show the importance of support groups. We are also hoping to get a face to face support group going.”
Kayleigh works hard to raise awareness around Crohn’s disease. She volunteers for the Gutsy Foundation and is organising her own fundraising family fun day at the
Billingham Cricket Club on August 21, between noon and 5pm.
Lots of people have generously donated gifts for the raffle.
Laura Kelbrick, a local singer, will be performing and a local company with a rideable mini locomotive steam train have offered to attend the event, along with a bouncy castle and games.
Tickets can be purchased through Kayleigh or through the Gutsy Foundation page. There is no set price, people can make a donation of their choosing.
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