In episode 9 of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Ant, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 19 in the UK. What began as worsening diarrhea, pain, and blood was repeatedly dismissed, until a colonoscopy finally revealed severe colitis and the start of a long, exhausting treatment journey.

After more than a decade of medications, steroids, biologics, and cycling in and out of remission, Ant made the difficult decision to undergo a colectomy and now lives with a stoma. In this conversation, he opens up about the fear surrounding surgery, the realities of stoma life, and how gaining his quality of life back reshaped his perspective on health, identity, and resilience.

Today, Ant uses his platform to normalize ostomy life and raise IBD awareness, showing that life after surgery isn’t an ending, but a restart. Honest, reflective, and deeply empowering, this episode is for anyone navigating colitis, surgery decisions, or life with a stoma.