Wexford Man Speaks Openly About Living With Crohn’s Disease on World IBD Day

A Wexford man living with Crohn’s disease for more than a decade is speaking openly about the realities of the condition as today marks World IBD Day.

Enniscorthy native Alex Robinson says he wants to raise awareness of the physical and emotional impact of inflammatory bowel disease, and the importance of understanding and support for those living with it.

Speaking on Morning Mix, Alex recalled the long and difficult struggle to receive a diagnosis, despite suffering dramatic weight loss and serious symptoms.

“Everyone could see that there was something seriously wrong,” he said. “I lost almost 50 kilos in weight. I was half the fella I had been, so for hospitals to say there was nothing wrong, myself and my family could see there was something severely wrong, but we couldn’t get answers.”

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can affect many parts of the body. Alex explained that during flare-ups, he experiences painful mouth ulcers, swollen joints and swelling around his eyes.

“It’s more than just the bowels,” he said.

After undergoing surgery in 2016 and beginning regular treatment every eight weeks in Dublin, Alex says his quality of life has improved dramatically.

“I kind of started to live life and realised there was so much I could do,” he said. “I wasn’t constantly worrying about where the next toilet was.”

Since then, Alex has completed endurance challenge Hell and Back, travelled extensively and worked in jobs he once believed would not be possible.

World IBD Day aims to raise awareness of inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and the challenges faced by millions living with the conditions worldwide.