A teenager was warned she'd "need a stoma bag or die" after a routine trip to the dentist led to her being diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
Now 28, Rosie Campbell, a personal assistant from Essex, was just 13 when she started suffering from extreme pain in her lips and mouth, tummy and when going to the toilet.
It became so bad she would spend most nights crying. Despite her symptoms, doctors sent her away with treatments for cold sores and piles.
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It wasn't until an ordinary dentist appointment that Rosie discovered it was something more serious.
After a cycle of antibiotics didn't work, she was referred to an oral specialist who diagnosed her with the lifelong inflammatory bowel disease following a biopsy.
She was later told she would need a colostomy bag or 'stoma' bag - a small waterproof pouch used to collect waste from the body.
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Rosie resisted having the operation for six months, fearing she'd never find a boyfriend, but doctors warned her she could die from sepsis. After almost losing her life to heart failure and with her potassium levels dangerously low, she had the operation.
But the teen's heartache didn't stop there. Experiencing hair loss and with her weight dropping to just 5 stone, Rosie ended up missing most of Year 10 and was forced to consume her food through a tube.
As the years went by, she decided to embrace her bag and has used her Instagram profile to share her journey of self-acceptance. She's also found love with boyfriend Reece.
"I'm the happiest I've ever been. I finally met my soul mate. I spent years worrying about meeting new people and not being able to have casual flings because of the bag, but people are more understanding than you think," Rosie recalled.
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"Make the most out of the hand you're dealt and live your best life. Together we can break the stigma and show what self-love and self-care is."
Featured Image Credit: MDWfeatures/Rosie CampbellTopics: Life News, Real, Health