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Model Makes Struggle With Crohn's Disease Public To Raise Awareness

By Savitha .C.Muppala | Update Date: Jan 18, 2017 09:30 AM EST

To raise awareness about Crohn's disease, Sadie Roberts, a 23-year-old model, from Heanor, Derbyshire, has made her suffering public. According to her, the disease put a full stop to her modelling career and social life.

Sadie Roberts was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in December 2015.  She had begun experiencing symptoms of Crohn's when she was 20. At that time her weight had dramatically fallen from 119lbs to 93lbs in just one month, reports Daily Mail.

Crohn's Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. Victims of the condition complain of unbearable pain in the abdomen and also experience drastic weight loss. According to statistics by Healthline, nearly 700,000 Americans are victims of this condition. Experts are of the opinion that early detection is key to better management of the condition.

According to Healthline, the initial symptoms of Crohn's disease could begin with a fever, cramps in the abdomen, or even blood in the stool. Fatigue is another early sign of the disease. Loss of appetite and dramatic weight loss is another symptom of this condition. Some victims complain of increased frequency of bowel movements, discomfort and not feeling empty after a bowel movement.

These symptoms can also mask those of common illnesses so medical advice is necessary if symptoms persist. 

Crohn's disease has no cure yet, but the condition can be managed due to speedy advancements in medicine. Sadie also underwent a major surgery in May 2016. She needs to undergo blood tests every week till she is absolutely fine.

Even though she is on the road to recovery, experts have advised caution due to a vulnerable immune system. The treatment caused her to lose a lot of hair and the steroids have led to extreme weight gain.

Speaking about her condition with a motive to raise awareness and help others battling the debilitating condition, Sadie said, "People should never feel ashamed of talking openly about this awful disease. I don't want people to suffer in silence because the only thing worse than having this debilitating disease is dealing with it alone. If by talking about my experiences it helps someone recognise their symptoms quicker and get an early diagnosis, or helps the friends and family of sufferers be more understanding, then it'll all feel worth it."

 

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