TOWIE’s Chloe Meadows has ulcerative colitis, a condition with flare-ups that stop her leaving home. The Only Way is Essex star raised money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK ahead of the London Marathon.
Having experienced symptoms from the age of 16, Chloe Meadows talked to her BFF and The Only Way is Essex co-star, Courtney, about being diagnosed with lifelong illness, ulcerative colitis.
Chloe Meadows talks ulcerative colitis
“When I first got told, I was like, obviously so upset, because it’s for the rest of your life and that’s what bothers me. I’d heard of Crohn’s but I hadn’t heard of ulcerative colitis,” she explained.
She added, “I can go a few months where I’m actually fine and then I go a few months where I’m really sick and can’t leave the house.” Her friend, Courtney, said she “looks really sick” when she gets flare-ups.”
Chloe explained how she can’t go about her daily life when she’s in a flare-up, and has to take “massive injections” that help treat the lifelong condition, which she called “embarrassing”.
She ‘doesn’t want people to know’
Chloe claims she “doesn’t want people to know she’s sick” but her friend reassured her, “It shouldn’t be embarrassing. Like, it’s out of your control. You have taken it in your stride.”
She experienced symptoms, such as blood when she went to the toilet, from the age of 16 but never went to the GP until her parents advised her to, having noticed drastic appearance changes.
The TOWIE star started to lose weight dramatically, which led to followers and fans discussing her appearance online, who had no idea she had ulcerative colitis.
TOWIE star takes on marathon
In aid of Crohn’s and Colitis UK, Chloe is running the London Marathon so she can raise as much money as possible. This meant she had to invite everyone on the cast to her fundraising event.
She ran the marathon in just over four hours on April 22, which she described as the “most important day of her life”. Chloe said it’s “pride like she’s never felt before” after raising the money for charity.
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