The climb of my life: the challenge that changed my perspective on Crohn's - Jenna's story

Jenna stands at Mount Everest Base Camp with her Crohn's & Colitis UK T -shirt

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in October 2020, after nine long months of pushing for answers. But in truth, the signs had been there for years. My family and I used to call them “bad nights” - bouts of night sweats and sickness since I was 11. My Crohn’s was eventually found in both my oesophagus and colon.  

Getting proper care wasn’t easy at first. I often felt dismissed - my symptoms labelled as anxiety or depression. It took just one good doctor to really listen and understand what I was going through. He built me a treatment plan, and compared to where I was just a year and a half ago, my everyday life feels like a small miracle. I still live with nausea and fatigue, both of which can be relentless and unpredictable, but the more extreme symptoms are mostly under control.  

So, I booked myself a graduation trip to Everest Base Camp. It has been a dream of mine since I was seven.  

The trek was part of a university charity campaign and I chose to raise money for Crohn’s & Colitis UK. Not just for the charity’s life-changing research, but because of the resources and support it has provided me with. I managed to raise £1400 .  

While on this trip, for the first time in years, my health didn’t dictate my every move. I walked at my own pace and I was able to absorb the views around me fully. Every mountain, every stretch of trail was a gift. And it was more than just the hiking. I met incredible people, including students, guides, and strangers who became friends.

Jenna with her friend at Base Camp

The culture, the landscape, the people of Nepal and the Himalayas - it was all breathtaking in the truest sense of the word. 

I’ve always tried to be optimistic. But the truth is, Crohn’s is hard. It’s isolating. It can make you feel like no one truly understands - not even the people closest to you. But on the trek, something changed. It was like Crohn’s was no longer the headline of who I am. If anything, it was a quiet strength that had helped me reach this point. And in those mountains, I started to truly believe there is light at the end of the flare-up tunnel. 

I’m not saying everyone needs to trek to Everest Base Camp. But whatever your version of a dream is - whether it’s traveling, studying, creating, or just living life on your own terms, it is possible. Crohn’s or Colitis isn’t a life sentence. It isn’t something to be ashamed of.  

I will forever be grateful for my Crohn’s - because without it, I wouldn’t have the mindset or outlook on life that I do today. It challenges me every day. But with that comes a quiet, persistent lesson - make the most of today. 

Maybe I didn’t need to stand in the world’s most beautiful mountains to learn that, but I’m incredibly glad I did. The trek to Everest Base Camp changed my life. And I’ll always be thankful for the experience, for the people I shared it with, and for the opportunity to give back to a charity that has given me so much. 

 Jenna celebrates reaching Base Camp with her fellow trekkers