In this powerful episode of The Bowel Chronicles, we sit down with 24-year-old Emma from Lincoln, who takes us on a raw, emotional, and incredibly brave journey through her life with chronic illness. Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease during her GCSEs, Emma battled years of failed treatments and biologics until life-saving ileostomy surgery became her only option.

Emma shares how her journey didn’t stop there — after enduring multiple bouts of sepsis and being diagnosed with small bowel dysmotility, she now lives with intestinal failure. Today, Emma lives with an ileostomy stoma, a PEG tube into her stomach, and a Jej tube for medication and feeding.

This episode dives deep into the reality of living with medical devices, the isolation that can come with it, and the empowerment that follows vulnerability. Emma opens up about finding her quality of life again — going out to concerts, social events, and now planning her first holiday with her tubes and stoma. Her bravery, resilience, and honesty shine through, and it’s no wonder she’s been recognized with a bravery award for sharing her journey.

This is an episode not to be missed — it’s heartbreaking, hopeful, and beautifully human. 

Guest:Emma Sellars

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