Zoey Wright who nearly died of bowel condition wins her first bodybuilding show

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Zoey Wright battled the condition Ulcerative Colitis for two years
She had life-changing ileostomy surgery in November 2014
Used bodybuilding as her 'coping mechanism' and won first contest
Crowned best figure and best body transformation

Published: 06:57 EST, 28 September 2015 | Updated: 21:36 EST, 28 September 2015

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A woman who nearly died of a debilitating bowel condition and now has to wear a colostomy bag has bounced back to health - to become a champion bodybuilder.

Zoey Wright, 22, first noticed something was wrong when she lost two stone in just four weeks and felt constantly weak.

Doctors diagnosed her with Ulcerative Colitis - a painful, long-term condition, where the colon and rectum become inflamed.

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Zoey Wright, 22, nearly died of a debilitating bowel condition but is now celebrating winning her first-ever bodybuilding competition

She suffered for two years with chronic fatigue and recurring diarrhoea, and even spent a month in hospital over fears her bowel could perforate causing fatal toxic shock.

But in November 2014, the former sports rehab student made the life-changing decision to have ileostomy surgery - fitting a colostomy bag on the outside of her body.

Now, 10 months on from the procedure, Zoey has defied the odds by winning her first bodybuilding show and qualifying for the world championships.

She was crowned best figure and best body transformation at the Pure Elite competition in Middlesex and proudly posed showing her bag.

Zoey suffered for two years with chronic fatigue and recurring diarrhoea, and even spent a month in hospital over fears her bowel could perforate causing fatal toxic shock, left, but defied the odds by winning her first bodybuilding show and qualifying for the world championships, right

Before the competition, Zoey had written on her blog about the struggles she had experienced preparing for the competition

Writing on her Instagram page, Zoey, from Penryn, Cornwall, said: 'Well guys and girls.. I've only gone and done it!! World championship here I come!' The following morning, she wrote: 'I'm still on cloud 9. I've hardly slept. I'm feeling so overwhelmed.. is this a dream!?'

Before the competition, Zoey had written on her blog about the struggles she had experienced preparing for the competition. 'I'm not going to sugar coat it, preparing for a bodybuilding competition is tough for any normal person, but when you live with a chronic Illness as well it's a nightmare,' she said.

'Fatigue wise at the moment I'm struggling. I'm a bag of emotions half the day and even after buckets of black coffee I'm still falling asleep. 'But I need to keep focused, only 25 days to go. Can't let anything hold me back now. 'It's time to show the world that having a chronic illness doesn't have to stop you from achieving.

'I'm absolutely petrified to go in front of a theatre full of people with my bag fully exposed. 'I know that on social media I'm very open about my ostomy but going out in front of the world Is a completely different matter.'

Ten months on from ileostomy surgery - fitting a colostomy bag on the outside of her body - Zoey has defied the odds by winning her first bodybuilding show and qualifying for the world championships

Zoey Wright pictured in hospital with her boyfriend during her long battle with Ulcerative Colitis

Writing on her Instagram page, Zoey said: 'Well guys and girls.. I've only gone and done it!! World championship here I come!' The following morning, she wrote: 'I'm still on cloud 9. I've hardly slept. I'm feeling so overwhelmed.. is this a dream!?'

Zoey shunned medication and took up bodybuilding, with the help of her partner Conor, who is also into the sport

Zoey first started to feel poorly in 2012 when she noticed her weight dramatically plummet from 10st to 8st in just four weeks.

Her doctor diagnosed her with Ulcerative Colitis in September 2012, and told her she would have to have ileostomy surgery - where the small intestine is diverted through an opening in the abdomen.

But Zoey shunned medication and took up bodybuilding, with the help of her partner Conor, who is also into the sport.

Her health recuperated enough for her to escape the proposed surgery, and she began to healthily bulk up by lifting weights. But every time she felt she was getting stronger, her condition - which causes crippling stomach pains - got the better of her.

Her health recuperated enough for her to escape the proposed surgery, and she began to healthily bulk up by lifting weights

She told fans on Instagram that she would be 'rocking her ileostomy' on the stage

Ulcerative Colitis currently affects around 146,000 people in the UK with Crohn's Disease hitting around 115,000 (Zoey pictured before colostomy bag operation)

'My UC would remind me it was there, tearing away my insides, causing me chronic pain and leading to countless hospital admissions, countless drugs, treatments,' said Zoey.

'It was mentally and physically pulling me down.'

In November 2014, Zoey made the decision to have the ileostomy surgery. And while she still suffers some pain, she has been doing regular workouts and following a protein-rich diet to prepare for the competition.

She told fans on Instagram that she would be 'rocking her ileostomy' on the stage. She added: 'Whenever I felt down, I found myself turning it into motivation. 'Yes, this illness had taken my bowel and changed me physically but why let it change you mentally?

'When you have passion and drive for something you enjoy nothing will stop you. 'Bodybuilding has always been my coping mechanism and it continues to be that every single day. I'm in control and I'm going to kill it.'

Zoey pictured in hospital, right, during her long battle with Ulcerative Colitis

Zoey, from Penryn in Cornwall, suffered chronic fatigue, extreme weight loss and recurring diarrhoea for two years because of the condition Ulcerative Colitis

Zoey was told by medics that she needed to have ileostomy surgery – a procedure in which some of or all of the large bowel is removed, and the end of the small bowel is pulled to the outside of the abdomen, forming a stoma

Zoey has posed for photographs showing off her muscles and colostomy bag on Instagram

After deciding to heal her body herself, Zoey shunned medication and took up bodybuilding

Zoey flexes her muscles while working out in the gym with her supportive boyfriend and coach Conor

WHAT IS ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition, where the colon and rectum become inflamed.

The colon is the large intestine (bowel), and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored.

Small ulcers can develop on the colon's lining, and can bleed and produce pus.

The main symptoms of ulcerative colitis are:

recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus
abdominal pain
needing to empty the bowels frequently

The severity of the symptoms varies, depending on how much of the rectum and colon is inflamed and how severe the inflammation is.

For some people, the condition has a significant impact on their everyday lives.

Some may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, or none at all (known as remission), followed by periods where the symptoms are particularly troublesome (known as flare-ups or relapses).

Source: NHS Choices