‘Stomas are life-saving, so let's normalise them’

A woman who suffered years of pain because of Crohn's disease has said she wants to "normalise" having a stoma, because it has given her "a quality of life back I thought I would never get".

Mandy Davies, from Southport, underwent an ileostomy, external six years ago and now uses a special bag to collect waste products, which she said was a way of life "for so many people".

The 37-year-old said there were people "getting these every day" who are scared, nervous and "ashamed, and there's absolutely no need to be".

"I'll happily wear a bikini and show it - there's no embarrassment there," she said.

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