The Survival Project

038 - Growing Up With Crohn’s Disease: “I asked for the ostomy bag” - Terri Brannigan

From 60 toilet trips a day to fitness racing, Terri Brannigan's story is one of resilience, courage, and reclaiming life after Crohn's disease. In this episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan sits down with Crohn's disease advocate, ostomate, and fitness enthusiast Terri Brannigan to discuss her journey from being diagnosed with Crohn's at just 15 years old to making the life-changing decision to undergo ostomy surgery at 28. Terri opens up about growing up with chronic illness, the embarrassment and isolation of living with severe symptoms as a teenager, years of hospital visits, failed medications, major surgery, and the emotional toll Crohn's disease can take on every aspect of life. She shares the moment she realised she could no longer continue living the way she was, why she chose an ostomy, and how that decision ultimately gave her the freedom to rebuild her life. Today, Terri is completing fitness challenges, participating in Tryka events, facilitating ostomy support groups with Crohn's & Colitis Ireland, and helping others navigate life with IBD and an ostomy. In this episode: * Growing up with Crohn's disease as a teenager * The challenges of diagnosis and treatment * Living with severe Crohn's symptoms * Surgery, stomas, and life after an ostomy * Mental health and chronic illness * Fitness, strength training, and recovery * Body confidence and self-acceptance * Ostomy support groups and community * Advocacy, resilience, and rebuilding life after illness Whether you're living with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, an ostomy, IBD, or supporting someone who is, this conversation is filled with honesty, hope, and practical insight. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share The Survival Project. IG: @thesurvivalprojectpod Terri's IG: livin_the_stoma_bag_life #CrohnsDisease #IBD #Ostomy #Stoma #UlcerativeColitis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #MentalHealth #FitnessJourney #TheSurvivalProject

037 - The Glass Is Refillable: IBD, Cancer & Rebuilding Life With An Ostomy - Coach Jenn Moore

What happens when years of being undertreated for Ulcerative Colitis leads to a permanent ostomy, a cancer diagnosis, multiple major surgeries, and repeated setbacks? In this powerful episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan Healy sits down with Jenn Moore, an ostomy advocate, fitness coach, health coach, and specialist in helping people rebuild strength after chronic illness and surgery. Jenn shares her extraordinary journey from living with severe Ulcerative Colitis and years of inadequate medical care, to undergoing permanent ostomy surgery, discovering anal cancer, navigating multiple complex hernia repairs, and repeatedly rebuilding her life after major setbacks. But this is not a story about defeat. It is a story about resilience, purpose, adaptation, and learning to trust your body again. Jenn explains how she transformed her own experiences into a mission to help people living with ostomies, chronic illness, autoimmune disease, cancer recovery, and complex medical conditions regain confidence, rebuild strength, and return to the activities they love. In this episode: * Living with severe Ulcerative Colitis * Years of being undertreated and mismanaged * The decision to have permanent ostomy surgery * Discovering anal cancer after surgery * Multiple parastomal hernias and complex repairs * Recovery after major abdominal surgery * Returning to exercise with an ostomy * Core strength and hernia prevention * Fitness advice for ostomates * Chronic illness and mental resilience * Supporting loved ones through illness * Finding purpose through adversity * Why Jenn believes "the glass is refillable" Whether you're living with Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, an ostomy, cancer recovery, chronic illness, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers practical advice, hope, and inspiration. To contact Jenn: jenn@yougotthiswithcoachjenn.com or through IG @coach_jenn_moore

036 - Stage 4 Endometriosis: “They Told Me It Was Anxiety” - Kate Ann Smith

For 13 years, Kate Ann was told her pain was normal. In this episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan Healy sits down with Kate for a deeply emotional and eye-opening conversation about living with Stage 4 Endometriosis and bowel endometriosis. Kate shares the reality of growing up in severe pain, being dismissed by doctors, told her symptoms were “just anxiety” or IBS, and spending years trying to convince people that something was seriously wrong. Eventually, after fighting for answers and advocating for herself, Kate was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis so severe that her organs had fused together. Together, Jonathan and Kate discuss: • Chronic pain & invisible illness • Medical gaslighting • Fertility fears & egg freezing • The emotional impact of chronic illness • Body image, bloating & femininity • Mental health & self trust • Surgery & fear of the future • Women’s health inequality • Nutrition, fitness & holistic healing • Learning to advocate for yourself This episode is not just about endometriosis. It’s about what happens when people stop listening to women’s pain. And it’s about finding strength, identity, and purpose in the middle of chronic illness. A huge thank you to Kate for her honesty and vulnerability throughout this conversation. If this episode resonates with you, please follow, share, and leave a rating for the podcast. #Endometriosis #Stage4Endometriosis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #TheSurvivalProject

035 - The Female Experience Of IBD: Identity, Illness & Rebuilding Yourself - Sarah & Terri

World IBD Day Special | The Female Experience of IBD, Chronic Illness & Identity In this episode of The Survival Project, Sarah O’Connor and Terri Brannigan join me for a powerful conversation on the female experience of living with Crohn’s disease, IBD, invisible illness, fatigue, body image, relationships, and resilience. We speak honestly about the realities women face while navigating chronic illness, from the pressure to “look well” and keep pushing through fatigue, to the emotional impact of body changes, medical dismissal, dating, intimacy, and uncertainty around the future. Sarah shares her experience living with both Crohn’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), while Terri reflects on how stoma surgery transformed her confidence, identity, and outlook on life. This conversation explores: • Crohn’s disease & ulcerative colitis • Invisible illness & chronic fatigue • Women’s health & medical gaslighting • Body image & confidence after illness • Stoma surgery & identity • Relationships & vulnerability • Motherhood fears & uncertainty • Mental health & resilience • Finding yourself again after diagnosis A deeply honest conversation about womanhood, strength, and rebuilding your life through chronic illness. Thank you to Sarah and Terri for their openness and honesty throughout this episode.

034 - The Diseased Man: What Is He Worth? IBD, Masculinity & Identity - Owen Lancelot & Oliver Achard Ravn

In this World IBD Day special episode of The Survival Project, I’m joined by Owen and Oliver for a deeply honest conversation about the male experience of living with IBD. We talk about Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, stoma surgery, masculinity, identity, relationships, intimacy, body image, fear, shame, depression, and the pressure men feel to stay strong while living with chronic illness. This episode goes into the parts of IBD that are often left unspoken: the fear of rejection, the uncertainty of the future, the emotional impact of surgery, the pressure to be the provider, and the difficulty of opening up when your body has changed. Owen shares his experience with ulcerative colitis, stoma surgery, endurance running, and preparing for another major surgery. Oliver shares his experience with Crohn’s disease, flares, anxiety, relationships, dating, and the fear of what the future may hold. This is a conversation about IBD, but it is also a conversation about men’s mental health, vulnerability, resilience, and rebuilding identity after illness. Thank you to Owen and Oliver for their honesty. This is part one of our World IBD Day double episode week. On Thursday, Sarah O’Connor and Terri Brannigan join me for a powerful conversation on the female experience of living with IBD.