Rhiannon Barbour

Year 3 living fearless 💜💜

For the third year, I’m taking on the Live fearless challenge and this year, it feels just as meaningful as the first!

I live with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic illness that isn’t always visible from the outside. There are days when I feel completely fine, and there are days when my body makes even the simplest things difficult. Living with UC has taught me that being “fearless” doesn’t mean never being scared, uncomfortable or unsure. It means continuing to show up, even on the days when things are hard.

Taking part in the Live Fearless Challenge gives me an opportunity to challenge myself physically and mentally, but more importantly, it allows me to help raise awareness and funds for people living with inflammatory bowel disease.

This is now my third year participating, and every year I’m reminded of why I started. I want to do my part to support research, raise awareness and help create a future where people living with conditions like UC have better treatment options and, hopefully one day, a cure.

There are definitely days when my body tells me to slow down, and taking on a challenge while living with UC can feel daunting. But I’ve learned that I don’t have to be fearless every single day. Sometimes being fearless simply means trying.

So, this year I’m stepping up again one challenge, one day and one step at a time.

Thank you so much to everyone who supports me, whether that’s through a donation, sharing my fundraiser, encouraging me along the way or simply taking the time to read my story. Every bit of support means more than you know. 💜

Here’s to another year of living fearless — even when life with UC makes it difficult.