Every week I am joined by a special guest, but this week I am proud to welcome a particularly special guest... My younger sibling, Poppy.

If you or a loved one has a chronic illness, bowel disease and / or undergone surgery, you'll know all too well that it doesn't only affect the sufferer but, it impacts everyone around them in one way or another too.

Poppy, is nine years younger than me and has therefore only ever known life with me unwell. Poppy really wanted to get involved with the podcast so, I thought it would be great to chat to her and share her perspective of growing up as a sibling of someone with IBD and a stoma. In this episode, Poppy and I discuss a number of things including what she thinks the best and worst things are about having a sibling who lives with an illness and a stoma as well as any possible advice she has for other siblings or family members.

We hope that we can help other siblings and family members who may also have a loved one who is managing chronic illness or undergoing surgery.

----

I really hope that you enjoyed the episode and took something from it. If so, please do leave it a review or find it on socials; @insideoutbyamber

**A thanks to Pelican & Respond Healthcare for supporting this episode. You can find out more about them here; https://www.pelicanhealthcare.co.uk/ // https://www.respond.co.uk/

For any further advice or support, please contact your healthcare professional(s) or, see to one of these wonderful charities; 

Crohn’s & Colitis UK; 

https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/

Ileostomy & internal Pouch Association;

https://iasupport.org/

Colostomy UK;

http://www.colostomyuk.org/

BowelCancer UK;

https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/

*All music paid for via EpidemicSound subscription*