A woman who dropped six stone after pooing 30 times a day celebrated being back to full health - by solo travelling in a van.<br /><br />Matilda Crome, 24, was diagnosed with the rare bowel condition Crohn's disease - which causes the digestive system to become inflamed. <br /><br />Her symptoms began aged 14 while on holiday in Italy and put her 'gassy stomach' down to eating lots of pizza.<br /><br />Back home, her issues were dismissed by doctors as period pains or IBS - but Matilda feared it was more serious when she found blood in her poo.<br /><br />Her condition became so severe that she took her GCSE exams in her bed at her home in Manchester, with an invigilator sat next to her.<br /><br />At her worst, Matilda lost a staggering six stone and nearly died after developing sepsis. <br /><br />But new medication meant Matilda was healthy enough buy a van and go on a solo climbing trip, travelling to Spain and Morocco in October 2023 and February 2024. <br /><br />After returning, she underwent surgery to remove her colon and reattach her small bowel to her rectum, and now hopes to go travelling again.<br /><br />Matilda, who cannot work due to her condition, from Manchester, said: “I was going to the toilet up to 30 times a day.<br /><br />"When I saw blood in my poo, I thought I had cancer and was going to die.<br /><br />“I was past from pillar to post and told it was all in my head.<br /><br />“When I finally got my diagnosis, I cried with pure relief.<br /><br />“During my recovery I found climbing and became quickly attached, I can safely say climbing was a massive part of what helped me, it made me feel again!”<br /><br />Matilda started going to the toilet more frequently while she was on holiday with her parents in Rome, Italy, aged 14. <br /><br />They assumed she might have a gluten intolerant from eating pizza, but her symptoms continued to get worse at home. <br /><br />Things escalated until she noticed blood in her stool and two years later, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. <br /><br />Matilda battled severe Crohn’s symptoms whilst sitting her GCSE exams in 2016, aged 16. <br /><br />She said: "Part of me was happy to know what was causing it, although I now faced a life ahead of me with a and a chronic illness. <br /><br />“I was determined to sit my GCSEs despite how poorly I was feeling.<br /><br />“We had a note on the front door which said exam in progress, which was quite funny!”<br /><br />Despite being put on various medications, including steroids and monthly injections, Matilda was in "constant pain". <br /><br />She became housebound and couldn't go anywhere unless she knew there was a toilet nearby.<br /><br />Her weight plummeted to just over five stone and she making constantly trips to A&E. <br /><br />In 2020, when she was 20 years old, she was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary hospital and "nearly died". <br /><br />She said: “I truly owe my life to my IBD doctor, who fought for a bed in hospital for me.<br /><br />“Without her I believe I would’ve died multiple times.<br /><br />“I remember one night I was sure my body was going to give up and I wasn’t going to wake up.<br /><br />“My parents tell me now how lucky I was.
