Rhiannon Jones

I'm living fearlessly this September to raise awareness and funds for IBD!

I’m Rhiannon, a 30 year old mother of 2 and wife to Shannon, and I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2012 at the age of 18.

I quickly became really unwell after the birth of my second child and when she was just shy of 8 months old, I had emergency surgery to have my large bowel removed. Then just 15 months later, I needed to have my rectal stump removed and bottom sewn shut in 2023. To this day I am still healing from this surgery (proctectomy wounds are notorious for their long healing times), but I am grateful every single day for my permanent ileostomy, my medical team, and my friends and family - without them my life would look very different.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has changed my life in every single way and affected every single aspect of my life, and that is why I’m taking part in the Live Fearless Challenge again this year. I’m doing it for myself - the past version of me who could never be too far from a toilet without the fear of shitting myself - and the other 180,000 Australians who battle IBD every single day.

Your donation will help fund research, patient support, education and advocacy (did you know IBD is the only chronic condition in Australia without dedicated government funding for patient support?)

Thank you!