The Survival Project

In this episode of The Survival Project, I sit down with Sean Francis.

Diagnosed as a teenager, Sean battled years of misdiagnosis, recurring abscesses, and relentless pain before finally opting for life-changing stoma surgery. What followed was a story of resilience, recovery, and rebuilding — from regaining his health and returning to work and training, to finding confidence, love, and laughter again.

Sean opens up about:
- Living with Crohn’s disease as a young man
- Adapting to life after stoma surgery
- The mental toll of chronic illness and how family support gets you through
- The role of fitness and discipline in recovery
- Finding humour in the hardest hospital moments

Sean’s honesty and humour bring light to topics most people never hear spoken aloud. He shares how chronic illness shaped him, what real happiness looks like now, and why “getting the bag” was not the end of his life — but the start of a new one.

In this episode of The Survival Project, I speak with Sarah O Connor, a powerful advocate living with both Crohn’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Sarah shares her personal journey with not just one but 2 chronic illnesses. We cover medication challenges, invisible illness, the genetic component for motherhood, and what it truly means to live with multiple diagnoses.She offers inspiring advice and honest insight for anyone navigating chronic illness, IBD, or autoimmune conditions. If you’ve ever felt unseen in your health journey, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Linksmentioned:

https://crohnscolitis.ie/account/register/

https://hdsunflower.com/irl/insights/post/the-hidden-disabilities-sunflower-launches-in-ireland

https://www.siodahair.com/

Nobody knows my journey better than the woman who has guided me through it all, my mother Rita.

My mom joins me today to share her perspective and the wisdom she has gained from over 20 years of experience.

In this conversation, we explore the emotional toll of raising a child with chronic illness, the resilience it takes to hold a family together, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. It’s an honest, heartfelt look at survival from a parents perspective.

Note: Apologies, I know some of the audio dips in places and there are mic scratches. Will work on improving going forward. Appreciate the support & patience

The Survival Project begins.. The first episode will be a little bit about me, my experience with chronic illness from the age of 9 (Crohn's Disease & Ostomy Bag at 19), why I want to make a podcast, why I've gone with the name and most importantly, what I hope this podcast can become.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. I hope you enjoy the podcast and stay with us for the journey.

Special discount for listeners - 20% off Sioda Hair products

Use code TSP20 at checkout www.siodahair.com

If you would like to be a guest, feel free to email me at [email protected]