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Your stories
Read inspiring stories from young people and parents whose lives have been affected by bladder and bowel conditions.
Discover how they have overcome challenges in everyday life, to show that you're not alone.
Jake struggled with bowel complications from birth, affecting his childhood. Read how ERIC helped the family in their journey to ileostomy surgery and his day with rugby star Lewis Moody, who also suffered bowel problems.
Katie's story
Katie was in pain from constipation most of her life and spent lots of childhood in hospital- until colostomy surgery, aged 8, turned her life around. ERIC was a lifeline to support the family throughout.
Cassidy's Story
Cassidy Bargell plays for the USA Women's 15s Rugby Union team. After suffering a bowel issue with alarming symptoms, she had surgery to remove her colon and form an ileostomy. A few months later, she was back playing rugby, wearing her stoma bag.
Lily's story
Lily struggled with poo accidents and tummy pain due to chronic constipation. Transanal irrigation (TAI) treatment turned things around – and ERIC’s resources helped on the journey.
Neveah's story
Neveah struggled with constipation for years. She spent hours in the toilet at a time and was in lots of pain. Then one day, we found ERIC. It was a lifeline and with ERIC’s help, Neveah got her childhood back.
Leo's story
Leo would only poo in a nappy. He wasn’t himself at all, couldn’t play and struggled to poo. After reading the ERIC website, we realised he had a problem with withholding that we needed to tackle.
At ERIC, we like to share the experiences of real people who are using our services to demonstrate the difference our work is making and ultimately help more families. Do you wish to share your story?
Constipation led to a blockage, stretching Fletcher's bowel and leaving him unable to control his bowel movements. ERIC helped his family feel less alone.
Vlad's story
Vlad's mum tried everything to potty train her son, but it didn’t seem to work. She felt frustrated and alone. After receiving support from ERIC for stool withholding, everything changed.
Constipation, withholding and fear of pooing became a vicious cycle for three-year-old Charlotte. Mum Amy felt ‘like a failure’ – until she found ERIC.
Severe constipation left Ivan vomiting, thrashing in pain, unable to sleep, and with a swollen stomach for much of his toddler years. Read how ERIC helped.
A spinal cord injury left Eva unable to walk or control her bowel and bladder. ERIC helped Eva and her family to manage and feel less alone.
Huw's mum Karen is sharing her experience of getting her son's constipation diagnosed and treated. She highlights the challenges when a young person is autistic.
Constant bladder problems made every day difficult for Barney, until a diagnosis led to self-catheterisation. ERIC was there to help and reassure.
Willow and her mum share their experience of using a Transanal Irrigation System (TAI) to manage chronic constipation.
Joe was born with a bladder condition. He has faced many challenges growing up and wants to share how he navigated his way through life at school, to being a teenager, and then a student at university.
George explains his diagnosis of primary enuresis - the medical term for bedwetting - and the stigma and misunderstandings around the condition.
Alice and her parents took public transport for a day out. The lack of accessible toilets ruined their trip. She explains how it feels to live with an invisible condition.