“My Colon Retirement Party!”

“On 18/10/19, my colon will be officially retiring and passing on the baton to the bag! It’s tried its best to function over my entire adult life to not much avail”

Melanie contacted Guts UK after decades of struggling with various digestive symptoms. She had recently been informed that she would need an ileostomy, but she felt a sense or relief when she was informed by her consultant.

An ileostomy is where the small bowel is diverted through an opening in the stomach (known as a stoma).

Mel decided there was only one option; throw a Colon Retirement Party!

Why have you decided to support Guts UK whilst throwing your Colon Retirement Party? 

“I think it’s great that Guts UK embrace the whole area of the digestive system. As a charity, Guts UK understands that digestive health is linked to other conditions, which is an area that many can be ignorant to.

I have also read Guts UK’s work as a founding charity member of the Less Survivable Cancer’s Taskforce. My mum passed away from pancreatic cancer, so this is an area very close to my heart.

This proactive, amazing charity allocates the vast majority of its financial resources to funding pioneering research into conditions of the gut, liver and pancreas. Furthermore, Guts UK raises awareness of gut health and provides expert information.”

Tell us a little more about your medical journey

“Since my early 20s, I have been invasively prodded and poked more times than I care to remember in hospitals the length and breadth of the country.

Slow transit and evacuation dysfunction runs in my family and seems to get worse with each generation. My grandfather died of bowel cancer, my dad has had (and still has) hernias from this. I heartbreakingly see my daughter suffer daily with this disorder and I really hope medical advances will help alleviate this for her. My geneticist consultant has said our disorder is hereditary but there is currently no genetic testing available.

The health of our guts and functioning of our immune systems are very strongly linked and the latter has a strong influence over the former. This is a research area that is in much need of funding.”

How do you feel about the upcoming operation?

“Getting medical people to believe me and understand my bowel has been a massively frustrating battle, a diseased bowel they get, a malfunctioning one with healthy tissue they often don’t.

It’s been a long and difficult journey physically and emotionally. I am enthusiastically ready to welcome my ileostomy and be rid of toxin overload and feeling so yukky. It won’t be the easiest thing to manage and may be rather unsightly, however, the health benefits will outweigh the current status quo!”

 

Mel’s Colon Retirement Party has already raised over £250.00 for Guts UK.

Guts UK is the only charity funding research into the digestive system from top to tail – the gut, liver and pancreas. Research into gastroenterology has been underfunded and misunderstood for decades. We rely solely on the kindness of people like Mel to continue funding this much-needed research.

Do you have your own fundraising idea or a place in an event? Get in touch with us today.