Martin's mixed bag

... After falling seriously ill with Crohn's disease in 2008 I had emergency, life saving (and life changing) surgery to form an ileostomy (I now poo into a bag glued to my abdomen). While many might be horrified by this, for me it is normal: it is because of the bag that I am still alive and my children are not orphans (my wife, Jo, died in 2014).  I have learnt to live each day as it comes, for good & bad, with my children Alice and Maisy to inspire me. Read these pages to find out about living with a stoma bag and a journey I am undertaking from Land's End to John o'Groats in August 2018. Please share these pages as I want to raise awareness about living with a stoma (for both those with and without bags) and raise money for Crohn's & Colitis UK and the Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Support Group.

Took the bike out fully laden with all the kit to Dedham and back, about 1/4 the distance of the average daily Land's End, John o'Groats distance and about 1/6 the climbing. Will try a longer overnight trip later...

Hi, I am planning a Land's End to John o'Groats cycle ride in Summer 2018 travelling mostly unsupported (camping for all but one or two nights). This is mostly just for fun, something I have wanted to do for a long time, but also to raise awareness of hidden disabilities. In 2008 I became very ill with Crohn's disease and subsequently underwent life-saving surgery to create an Ileostomy, I now wear a stoma bag. You can find out more about what a stoma (I have an ileostomy) is at  Stomawise . I will also be hoping to raise money for Crohn's & Colitis UK  and The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group . This is quite an undertaking for me, although I have done some cycle touring in the past. Here is me leaving for a 4-day tour around the coast of East Anglia in 2017 (photo is a panorama shot that went wrong in a fun kind of way!):