Bodybuilder Blake Beckford was preparing for a competition when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2003.
Over the next decade, the father-of-one, who lives in Stratford-upon-Avon, used a variety of different drugs to keep the bowel disease under control.
As a result he gave up his strict training regime of hitting the gym six times a week, reportedly lost two stone (13kg), and was forced to abandon his dream of becoming a fitness model.
According to the South West News Service, another bad flare up at the end of 2012 left him constantly tired and needing the toilet up to 20 times every day.