A MODEL and dancer who had to have a stoma bag fitted when she collapsed and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease now has a mission to raise awareness of the condition.

Natalie Amber was rushed to hospital two years ago after collapsing at her home and going temporarily blind.

She was put through two emergency operations to remove 35cm of her small intestine and to fit a stoma bag.

Natalie, who lives in the town centre, said: “I was misdiagnosed for seven years. They always said I was anorexic or had irritable bowel syndrome because of my profession. So I was constantly going to the doctors being sick and I was in and out of college because I was so ill.

“Then one day I collapsed. They removed part of my intestine and fitted a stoma bag. I also had sepsis and kidney failure and the doctors weren’t sure if I was going to make it.”

Since then Natalie has worked to raise awareness of the disease, including staging a fashion show at Swindon College to raise money for Crohn's and Colitis Trust and Great Western Hospital’s charity Brighter Futures.

The 27-year-old, who has modelled for Adidas, Specsavers and the National Lottery said Crohn's had changed her life and she wants to help others come to terms with their condition.

“I want to go on and possibly write a book about my journey and bring it to the forefront.

“There’s so many that hide Crohn's from the people around them and that’s really sad. They struggle with the condition and no one would even know they had it.

“But it depends on the person, I think because I’ve done dancing and modelling from a very young age I’m not shy and have been very open about it.

“I also want to help women with their scars, I’ve said to my modelling agency I don’t want my scars edited out.

“I just want to help others and promote self love as well as body confidence.”

Natalie has since had her stoma bag reversed and is now raising awareness of the condition through social media and fundraising.

Crohn’s disease causes parts of the digestive system to become inflamed and can affect people of all ages, although it usually starts in childhood or early adulthood. It is lifelong and there is no known cure.