Claire’s Inspiring Journey- Reclaiming Life After Diverticular Disease

Claire is 57 years old and has been an ostomate for four years. A dedicated member of Halo for over 30 years, her life took a dramatic turn after she was diagnosed with diverticular disease at the age of 32, leading to a severe decline in her health. In late September 2022, she collapsed with a life-threatening blocked bowel. This emergency required immediate surgery, resulting in a colostomy bag and the removal of her diseased sigmoid colon. Waking up to this new reality was an immense emotional shock; as she recalls, “waking up sliced open and facing life as an Ostomate was devastating; my world fell apart and my mind went to a very dark place.”

The physical recovery that followed was brutal. After spending two weeks in hospital and another two weeks bed-bound at home, Claire was shockingly weak, with her weight dropping to just 6st 9lb. Her progress faced another major setback in February 2023, when internal scar adhesions forced her to undergo further open abdominal surgery.

A major turning point arrived in April 2023 when Claire began hospital rehab classes. It was there that she met Dan from Halo, who became instrumental in restarting her fitness journey.

Exercise proved to be the key to her transformation, aiding not just her physical recovery but her mental health as well, ultimately helping her accept her stoma as “the thing that saved my life.”

Now, at 57, Claire is physically stronger and fitter than she was in her 30s. Knowing that abdominal surgery makes her prone to hernias, she focused intensely on her core strength, which is now better than ever. She has joyfully returned to all the activities she loves, including coastal hiking, alongside Karen’s LBT classes, Emma’s yoga classes, and Ffion’s Over 50s circuits classes. Through these sessions, she has met many inspiring people, particularly in Ffion’s class, reminding her that support is vital. By sharing her experiences, Claire hopes her story “can help or inspire someone going through a rough time.”