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Maree Habgood

Donate to Maree and help them reach their goal of $600

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Reach My Goal

Raised

$697.31

My Goal

$600

Select amount to donate

$50
Helps provide vital resources to those newly diagnosed with IBD
$150
Contributes to a nurse consultation for a person living with IBD.
$300
Can support essential research into the prevalence and impact of IBD
$500
Provides programs to empower children and teens to live fearlessly with IBD

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My Activity Tracking

217
kms

My target 150kms

Total activity 217kms

I'm living fearlessly this September by participating in the Live Fearless Challenge 2024

I’m getting active to achieve 150kms and raise awareness and much needed funds for Australians living with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

As I challenge myself to reach these goals during September, it would really help me to know that I have your support. If you can rally behind me with even a small donation, it would motivate me through the month and keep my spirits high.

All proceeds go towards Crohn's & Colitis Australia's support services, research initiatives, education and advocacy programs for the Crohn's and colitis community.

Thank you and see you at the finish line!

My Achievements

Profile Pic Uploaded

Created a Blog Post

In a Team

Shared Page on Social

Sent Email

Self Donated

Received First Donation

Halfway to your $ goal

Reached your $ goal

Logged First Activity

Halfway to your KM goal

Reached KM goal

My Updates

Thank God for medical services

I feel so lucky that I have been blessed to live in 2 nations with excellent medical care. 

When I was first diagnosed, the team at Royal Surrey County Hospital, part of the NHS in England, looked after me. They helped me stay safe even while travelling and introduced me to the IBD passport which allowed me to know where there are IBD teams when I am travelling. As a result, when I was travelling back in home in Australia I knew where to go for treatment. I went to the Mater Public hospital in Brisbane and was fortunate enough to be seen by the awesome Dr Jakob Begun who went above and beyond for me, getting me on to infliximab in a rapid course that prevented me from having to have a full colectomy.  Since moving back to Australia the IBD team at Mater Brisbane (shout out to Dr Nicole Walker) have been amazing. Not just treating my colitis but also trying to give me the best quality of life possible. I feel more in control of my treatment and my condition than I have ever felt.

More than anything I feel so blessed that I have lived in 2 nations with brilliant medical systems that allow me to get the treatment I need, when I need it. So many places in the world I would not have the quality of life I have now because I would never have got the level of treatment available to me. Thank you to NHS and Medicare.

The impact on my family

For the first time I feel my Colitis is having an immediate, positive impact on my family.  This challenge is making us all move a little more and that can't be a bad thing!

I have consistently worried about what my Colitis has done to my family. When I was diagnosed I was living in England and can only imagine the impact being so far away had on my parents and brothers.  My husband has had to pick up the pieces of our lives so many times when I have had to go to hospital, even when we were on holidays! My parent-in-law moved in to our house for days and even weeks so that he could go to work and they helped with the kids...

And then there is the impact on my children. 1 child saw me stuck with so many needles in the first few years of her life she developed an extreme fear of needles. The medication I was on during pregnancy with my youngest, well, we will never be sure of the impact but it appears to have caused problems with her teeth and if that's all it is we are lucky.  My eldest has been impacted in very different ways, he became very protective of his siblings. In some ways grew up faster than I would have liked as he noticed difficulties I was having, and without even realising it, stepped in to help and make my life easier.

There have been lots of negatives but also positives and I choose to focus on the positives. My colitis made it clear how amazingly lucky I am to have a wonderful family who I can count on no matter what. It has made us very open in our household about medical situations and not afraid to ask, "is this normal? is it OK?" My children have learnt that sometimes when people can't do things with you it's not that they don't want to, it's that they genuinely can't and that can be ok too. But most of all I have slowly learnt to be honest with myself about how I am feeling and that sometimes I just need to listen to my body which is a really good thing to do.  IBD changes your life and the lives of those you love but not always for the worst...

Fear of talking

No one wants to think about, much less talk about, poo. I don't either, but even in remission I spend much more of my life thinking about it than is normal.

Nowadays I can tell people I have UC and briefly explain it to them (it's like having mouth ulcers in your colon) but that wasn't always the case. I spent years covering up symptoms and not letting on how ill I was until I had to go to hospital.

Now when I tell people they often don't know what to say. Well meaning people often give advice about diet or lifestyle changes. I genuinely appreciate the effort to help but sadly each UC case is different from the next. Trial and error plays a huge part in terms of diet, lifestyle and medication.

I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable but I do want people to know about all forms of IBD so that those struggling with it can speak up and get the help they need. I had a fear of talking and upsetting others now I speak up to help others live fearless. 

Why the live fearless challenge?

Well, in September 2010 after months of fear, sickness and frustration in the months following the birth of my 2nd child, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. 

I was scared. I didn't understand and at the time I was given lots of medicine, often with pretty serious possible side effects.  Everything happened so quickly. What no one gave me was support information. I felt so alone. My family tried to support me but they couldn't possibly know what I was feeling.

The live fearless challenge is about raising money but also awareness. It took me about 8 years before I could talk about my condition because no one understood, and I felt alone. I don't want anyone else to feel that lost and alone.
There is support out there and there is hope for medication. Even in the 14 years since my diagnosis so much has changed. I have hope for the future but we need help.

Please help me make sure no one else is alone, especially when surrounded by those who love them and want to help. Help me let people know there are other people out there with Chrones and Colitis. Help me let people know that medical options are out there. 

Thank you to my Sponsors

$21.10

Megan Diamond

Well done, Maree. Keep up the good work.

$65.41

Paul And Megan

Just take it one step at a time!

$52.75

Maree Habgood

Let's get this started!

$21.10

Georgina Howard

$211

Susan

Go Maree!

$10

Sophie Habgood

$10

John Habgood

$31.65

Lisa Adams

I hope you reach your goal, Maree. xx

$21.10

Juliette Bentley

Thank you for this initiative

$21.10

Susan

Great work xx

$105.50

Jeff & Anne Conaghan

$52.75

Angela Albury

Good on you for what you are doing, Maree.

$21.10

Madonna Ahern

wonderful initiative

$52.75

Mark Habgood

Love you