professional Amy Dowden has opened up on the reality of life with Crohn’s disease, which has meant she missed out on opportunities as she was seen as a ‘risk’.
The dancer, 31, took to Instagram to share a selfie from a ‘flare-up’ of her condition, in which she was seen with what appeared to be a hospital blanket, with inflamed eyes and sore lips.
She told her followers: ‘World IBD day. I wanted to show the reality of flares! (this isn’t me today, I’ve had a lovely day filming).’
Amy wanted to share the to raise awareness and let other sufferers of the chronic condition know they are not alone.
She added: ‘Last few years I’ve really wanted to help raise awareness for IBD. Help other sufferers but also show that it doesn’t define you.
‘Today I want to share times I found tough. One of which is being judged for your condition! I would do anything in the world not to live with it, I often say what did I do to deserve this?’
Amy admitted that the condition had impacted her life and she had missed out on things because people see her as a ‘risk’, in case she has a flare up.
She explained: ‘Then I’d be robbed of opportunities and dreams because I’d be seen as a “risk” which would frustrate and upset me, which as many know isn’t good for any sufferers.
‘Why punish us anymore? Having IBD doesn’t take away your talents, your hard work, your work ethic! In fact it makes us stronger. Let’s take away the stigma and continue to talk and raise more awareness!’
Amy also revealed that she has suffered from Crohn’s, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, since she was 11, before finally being diagnosed at 18.
Crohn’s is a life-long condition without a cure, but medication and surgery can help reduce or control the symptoms.
earlier this year after her symptoms took hold in the middle of a show.
She revealed on Steph’s Packed Lunch in February: ‘I woke up and I felt niggles in my stomach, a bit more tired and I just thought “Oh maybe it’s the tour” and I had a hot water bottle.
‘Then I started vomiting between numbers during the show, which can be normal for me. I have to say to everybody, “That’s just like you guys going to the toilet, don’t panic!”’
Amy’s symptoms continued to worsen as she added: ‘It got to the point where I was crying in pain, Aljaz [Skorjanec] whipped me up and carried me into the service station.
The dancer said that while she managed to get her symptoms ‘under control’, when they arrived in Manchester, she gradually ‘deteriorated’ to a point where ‘they needed to call an ambulance straight after the matinee’, with Kai Widdrington having to carry her off stage.
