Mollie Pearce, known for her appearance in the second season of The Traitors and currently starring in Dancing on Ice, has opened up about her life living with a chronic health condition.
Mollie has been battling ulcerative colitis, a long-term bowel condition affecting 300,000 people across the UK, since she was 11. After passing blood in her stool, it was initially mistaken for menstruation.
However, her father also suffers from the same health issue, which made her parents alert to the warning signs. According to the NHS, ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the colon and rectum, potentially leading to ulcers that can bleed and produce pus.
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Speaking to the Times, Mollie said: “We had to go back and forth with the doctors, and they tried to tell us that it was an infection.” But it turned out to be something more serious.
Once she started treatment, managing her condition proved challenging. She had to take prednisolone, a medication that caused side effects, reports Surrey Live.
Mollie shared that she had to start high school with a “puffy moon face” and endure being “all hairy and starving all the time”. She added: “Just locking the door after leaving the house would trigger something in me.”
Mollie had surgery for the condition and now has a stoma bag she dubs Sid
(Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
It got so bad that she “couldn’t walk to school”, despite it only being “five minutes away”. Mollie, who was born with a visible limb difference affecting her hand and who has become a disability model, underwent surgery for her condition which resulted in her needing a stoma bag, which she affectionately named Sid.
Reflecting on a significant moment of relief, Mollie recounted to the BBC, “The first time I went out with my dad to a McDonald’s drive-thru [after having the stoma], I remember not feeling panicked about needing the toilet. It was magic!”
Ulcerative colitis presents symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and an urgent need to defecate; it can also lead to fatigue, reduced appetite, and weight loss. The NHS suggests that those experiencing symptoms without a prior diagnosis should consult their GP immediately for possible blood or stool tests.
Anyone diagnosed with ulcerative colitis who suspects a severe flare-up should contact their care team or GP. If this isn’t feasible, calling NHS 111 or seeking out-of-hours services is recommended.
The NHS offers further information and advice on ulcerative colitis on its website.