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    I was going to the toilet 40 times a day, it nearly finished my career – FA Cup star opens up on horror bowel disease

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    JACK FITZWATER has revealed how he thought his football career was in jeopardy when he was forced to visit the toilet 40 times a day.The defender hopes to help League One club Exeter topple Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup at St James Park on Tuesday.Jack Fitzwater has opened up on his struggles with colitisCredit: RexThe Exeter defender revealed he was playing through pain and discomfort to hide itCredit: RexColitis is an inflammatory bowel diseaseCredit: GettyThe 27-year-old thought his career was in jeopardyCredit: RexBut two years ago his health and career were in peril when he started suffering from colitis — an inflammatory bowel disease.Fitzwater, 27, admits he was so embarrassed by his increasing visits to the loo he tried to hide his problem from everyone before telling family, close friends and eventually team-mates.He told SunSport: “It came out of the blue in February 2023. The symptoms steadily got worse.“As a man you try to hide it so I didn’t get seen until that summer, after the season had finished, and by that time the symptoms were terrible.“It’s only then I discovered I had colitis, which is an inflammation of the bowel and you can get it at any age, any time.“When you’re a footballer people think you’re young, fit and healthy. But privately I was struggling.“Symptoms can be blood in your stools, huge fatigue and feeling generally unwell.“I went to the toilet 40 times a day at the worst point. People think you’ve got to be making that up but anyone with colitis or Crohn’s disease will understand it’s a real problem.“It’s not only draining mentally but physically as well.”Fitzwater managed to get through most training sessions and games despite suffering discomfort — so to his team-mates everything would have appeared normal.What is Ischemic ColitisBut he admitted: “I would have to on occasion during the warm up run off and go to the toilet.“I was still able to perform at a decent level in games despite the pain but there were times I had been up during the night for hours so getting up in the morning was a nightmare.”Although he was able to hide his problem from team-mates for some time, it was impossible to do so in his personal life.His toilet visits were far too regular at home.He said: “My fiancee and family started noticing so I had to tell them.“We all deal with things in different ways. I hid it because I’m a man — and you don’t want to show weakness to anyone or anything.“Yet you later realise when you do and speak to the people you need, the problem gets fixed quicker than if you were to hide it all the time.“It was hard and embarrassing for me but anyone who has had it will understand how horrible it is.“Thankfully, I finally listened to what my body was telling me and went to see doctors and got the right treatment. Being comfortable with being vulnerable was something that helped me out hugely.”Fitzwater says listening to medical specialists must always be the priority because once treated the problem can be sorted.Colitis: All you need to knowWhat is colitis and what are the symptoms?Colitis is a condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed.The colon is the large intestine, or bowel, and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored. Ulcers can develop on the colon’s lining and bleed and produce pus.Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis that is caused by autoimmune inflammation (the body attacking itself), whereas colitis can be caused by a number of factors including infection.Ulcerative colitis is similar to another condition which causes inflammation of the gut – Crohn’s disease.Symptoms can often be very mild for weeks or months but flare ups with extreme symptoms can cause a lot of pain and trouble for sufferers.Flare ups can include painful and swollen joints, mouth ulcers, areas of painful, red and swollen skin and irritated and red eyes.In addition to this people will often need to empty their bowels six or more times a day and have shortness of breath, a fast or irregular heartbeat, high temperature and blood in stools.Stress can be a factor as can a gut infection.Who can be affected by colitis and how does it differ from Crohn’s disease?It is thought that about one in every 420 people in the UK has ulcerative colitis.It is more common in people of European descent, especially those descended from Ashkenazi Jewish communities and black people.The condition is rarer in people from Asian background, although the reasons for this are unclear.The difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is that colitis is limited to the colon, while Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere between the mouth and the anus.In Crohn’s disease, there are healthy parts of the intestine mixed in between inflamed areas, on the other hand, ulcerative colitis, is continuous inflammation of the colon.Former Chelsea midfielder Ray Wilkins, who died aged 61 after suffering a heart attack, battled poor health including ulcerative colitis.The defender advises against going online to search for the symptoms and take the results as gospel.He said: “The worst thing was going on to Google and doing a search. I found some accounts on Instagram of people who have had it and shared their experiences.“You end up fearing the worst-case scenario but, once you get to know what it’s about, you come to terms with it and understand it can be effectively treated.”Fitzwater was overwhelmed by the support he received from the club and later the wider public when he decided to let everyone know on social media that he was suffering with colitis.He said: “I told people on my private Instagram account and got so much good feedback — and then made it public by explaining what it was and what I was doing about it. It gained lots of traction.“It’s helped a lot of people. So many people in sport and other walks of life have messaged me since then gone and got treatment.“The club, management, coaches and team-mates have been massive. Only the physios and doctors knew at first.“They have all been helpful and asked me questions about what it was. They didn’t have a clue about it.“And then, as is the case in football, everything moves on to the next thing and life is back to normal.”Fitzwater battled the condition for 18 months and is now feeling fit and healthy.The Grecians ace is back in the team and has been an important part of the club’s run to the fourth round to set up this tie against the Premier League big guns.He said: “I must take medication daily and will do so for the rest of my life. It’s part of my morning routine now. I take it with my vitamins.“It’s all about staying as healthy as possible and enjoying my football.”Fitzwater recalled how he had to go to the toilet 40 times in one day at its worstCredit: GettyHe said the worst thing someone can do is searching the internet and taking results as gospelCredit: GettyHe hopes speaking out will help others who have been hit by the diseaseCredit: Rex More

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      Boxing hero, 63, suffering with brain disease as son issues heartbreaking plea for support

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      BOXING legend Donald Curry is suffering with a brain disease, his son revealed in a heartbreaking plea.Curry – a champion in two weight divisions – has been diagnosed with Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome. Donald Curry is suffering with a brain diseaseCredit: GettyIt is a brain condition resulting commonly from repeated head trauma.Curry’s son Donovan posted online: “I’m reaching out to the boxing community to ask for assistance in finding a long-term healthcare facility for my dad. “A few years ago, with the help of Chuck Williams, my dad underwent a brain scan at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, where he was officially diagnosed with Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES). “This condition has caused impairments in judgment, reasoning, memory, and behavior, including poor impulse control. READ MORE IN BOXING”For some time, he was being cared for at an incredible church facility in Fort Worth, thanks to the support of his former trainer, Paul Reyes, who recently passed away. “However, due to incidents of fighting and breaking rules, my dad had to leave. He is currently staying in a hotel in Fort Worth. “We are searching for a facility that specializes in patients with conditions like my dad’s, ideally one that operates at no cost. “If you know of any resources, facilities, or organizations that could help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Most read in BoxingWhat is CTE?CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, refers to a brain degeneration caused by frequent head traumasOther elements may play a role, including genetics, but exact factors are yet to be discovered, as reported by the Boston University CTE Center.CTE is only diagnosed through an autopsy of the brain and is known to be a rather rare disease.It is most commonly found in athletes, including football players and fighters.Some symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and progressive dementia.These signs can begin to appear after years or even decades after the last brain trauma.”Thank you for your time and support during this challenging time.” Curry held the welterweight and light-middleweight titles during his career – famously fighting Lloyd Honeyghan, Mike McCallum and Terry Norris. Vincent Jackson death: Ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers star died in hotel from ‘chronic alcohol use’ & was suffering from CTEThe American last fought in 1997 – losing to Emmett Linton – and retiring with a record of 34–6. Curry, now 63, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 following a remarkable career. But it was in 2021 that Curry’s sons first feared their famous fighting father may be suffering from CTE. Curry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019Credit: @lonestarcobratx More

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      West Ham icon Ludek Miklosko reveals heartbreaking cancer battle and stops treatment to ‘enjoy best quality of life’

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      WEST HAM hero Ludek Miklosko has revealed he’s been battling cancer for the last few years.The former Hammers stopper discovered he was fighting the deadly disease three years ago after finding a small lump on his hip.Former West Ham goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has revealed he’s battling cancerCredit: GETTYMiklosko discovered he had a growth on his hip three years agoCredit: GETTYBut it later emerged the former Czech stopper had an inoperable tumour in his stomach along with several smaller onesCredit: REXThe 63-year-old has opted not to undergo chemotherapy, which doctors couldn’t guarantee him would be a successCredit: GETTYThe 63-year-old’s initial treatment went well, although doctors failed to discover several other tumours in his body – including an inoperable stomach tumour.Miklosko underwent radiotherapy to shrink the growth but doctors soon discovered there were several other tumours.The only option left for Miklosko was chemotherapy, which doctors couldn’t guarantee would be a success.So the retired keeper has made the heartbreaking decision not to have treatment to ensure he has the best quality in his final days.READ MORE WEST HAM NEWSExplaining his decision, he told West Ham’s official website: “I was thinking about this, and had another conversation with the doctor in Ostrava.”And it was made clear to me that there could be no guarantees that it would work. “Maybe it would help to slow it down a little bit, but it would not stop it and there would be other issues to deal with.“I decided not to take the chemotherapy, because I want to live a normal life.Most read in FootballThe day Miklosko denied Man Utd the titleBy Henry TomlinsonLUDEK MIKLOSKO was once responsible for denying Manchester United a Premier League title.On the final day of the 1994/95 season, the Red Devils travelled to the former home of West Ham, the Boleyn Ground.Sir Alex Ferguson’s side needed to better the result of Blackburn in order to secure their third successive title.The Hammers had confirmed their spot in the league with a 3-0 win over Liverpool in the match before.Despite having nothing to play for, Michael Hughes caused a shock when he put the hosts ahead.Brian McClair levelled for Man United after the break and put them just one goal from claiming the title.However, Miklosko put in a brilliant performance in which he denied Ferguson’s men time and time again.Blackburn lost their match at Anfield 2-1 but the draw would not be enough for Man United.Miklosko spoke about the game in 2020 and has admitted he never tires of talking about it.He said: “I have been asked about the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground in May 1995 so many times, but I will never get tired of talking about it.“In fact, I was at Manchester United’s training ground recently with some young goalkeepers – I am now a player representative – and there were staff members there who remembered that game.“Some of them came up to me and talked about the game and a few of them said ‘I was there and remember that game and I hated you!’. We had a good laugh about it.“It was one of those games when everything went for me, but it was also a good team performance, too.“We scored a good goal and we defended so well to stop Manchester United, who were a very good team and wanted to win the title on the final day of the season.””I have very good people around me, and I have my work and my football, which is my life, all I have known. I want to keep doing that for as long as I can.”Miklosko was put off undergoing the gruelling and debilitating chemo once it was made clear to him that his entire life would be put on hold.Meet West Ham wonderkid Kaelan CaseyHe said: “When they told me about what the chemotherapy would mean, it was a case of not being able to work or be around my colleagues for around six months, not travel, have some sickness and everything else.”And I said, ‘No – I do not want that. There is no point. “I want to live my life.'”Miklosko will be in attendance at the Olympic Stadium this evening for the Hammers’ clash with Prem table-toppers Liverpool.The club will pay tribute to their former keeper ten minutes before kick-off.Miklosko is looking forward to returning to East London, saying: “It will be very special to me.Ludek Miklosko has opted not to undergo chemotherapy in order to have a better quality of lifeCredit: REX“And, of course, the supporters. “After all these years, they still remember me, still sing my name, and that is a great feeling.“I have two football clubs in my heart, Banik Ostrava and West Ham United, and in a funny way they are very similar. “Even the mentality of the fans, very similar. Hard-working people, loyal and passionate. “If I am ever doing an interview here in the Czech Republic, I am always saying this and making this comparison.“West Ham United is my second family. And I really am looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday.”Miklosko was in attendance for West Ham’s Europa Conference League final triumph against Fiorentina last summer.Ludek Miklosko has fond memories of his time with West HamCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdMiklosko upped sticks from his native Czech Republic with his wife and son in February 1990 to join the Hammers. He’d go on to make 318 appearances for the East Londoners during an eight-year stint. Miklosko and his family enjoyed their time in England, so much that his son asked him to move back to Old Blighty after they returned to the Czech Republic. He told The Athletic: “When we moved back to [the] Czech Republic, my son begged me and his mum to leave him in England.“He went from saying, ‘Why on earth are we here?’ to wanting to stay there without us. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Seeing my son overcome his struggles put a big smile on my face. Me joining “West Ham worked out well for all of us.” More

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      Ally McCoist reveals he’s suffering from incurable condition dubbed ‘Viking’s disease’ that two operations failed to fix

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      RANGERS legend Ally McCoist has revealed he suffers from an incurable condition called Dupuytren’s contracture.McCoist, who is now one of the nation’s most popular football broadcasters, opened up about the inherited condition during a recent appearance on talkSPORT.Ally McCoist has opened up about his incurable condition dubbed ‘Viking’s disease’Credit: GettyThe condition can cause one or more fingers to curl towards the palm or pull sidewaysCredit: NHSHe revealed that both his parents had suffered from it.The former striker has undergone two operations on his hands over the years but the issue has returned.McCoist explained: “I have got Dupuytren’s. It’s a hereditary thing where your fingers close in.”I have had them done twice. I went to see the doctor and he said to me ‘Did your grandfather have it?’. I said ‘I don’t know’ because I never met any of my grandfathers, sadly they passed before I was born.Read More in Football”I said to him ‘But my dad had it’. He lifted his head up and said ‘You’re unlucky because it normally skips a generation’. I said ‘That’s good news because I have got five boys’.”My wee mum had it as well. My mum had it, my dad had it, it’s a hereditary thing.”The bizarre thing with Dupuytren’s is when I went to see the doctor he said ‘I will operate on it but it will come back in roughly nine years’. And I swear to God nine years later it came back.He added: “I have seen myself sending a text message which takes me five minutes to text with one finger when I should just dial the number.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSDupuytren’s contracture – also known as ‘Viking disease’ – is an inherited condition that causes an abnormal thickening of the skin in the palm of your hand at the base of your fingers.It can cause one or more fingers to curl towards the palm or pull sideways.Ally McCoist on Rangers ‘really, really concerning’ finances It is estimated that two million people in Britain have some degree of Dupuytren’s.The cause is unknown but it runs in families and worsens with age.McCoist is one of the UK’s most beloved football pundits and commentators.He currently works for talkSPORT, ITV and Sky Sports.What is Dupuytren’s DiseaseDupuytren’s contracture mainly affects the ring and little fingers. It’s common to have it in both hands at the same time.It tends to get slowly worse over many months or years.It’s not usually painful, but it can affect how you use your hand.It starts with lumps, dimples or ridges on your palm.Eventually, 1 or more of your fingers may get stuck in a bent position.There are 3 main types of treatment:surgery to remove the affected tissue in the hand (fasciectomy)using a needle to make small cuts in the affected tissue (needle fasciotomy)surgery to remove the affected tissue and skin (dermofasciectomy) More

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      We had 5 hours of hell as Siena had life-saving op…but she’s fixed now. She’s our heart warrior, says Jack Wilshere

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      FORMER Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere suffered “five hours of hell” as his five-year-old daughter Siena had life-saving cardiac surgery.And he said he had been “100 per cent” sure she would die during the operation to fix a hole in her heart in February.Retired football star Jack Wilshere suffered ‘five hours of hell’ as his five-year-old daughter Siena had life-saving cardiac surgery, pictured with wife Andriani, leftCredit: Eleven Miles.Siena had a rare kind of heart issue which required swift actionCredit: Eleven Miles.Jack, 32, also recalled how he and his wife Andriani spent 45 minutes crying as they were gripped by the fear of losing her.Only a month earlier, doctors had told the father-of-four that Siena — his second-youngest child — had the heart condition.While it can be fatal, it often does not need surgery — but Siena had a rare kind which required swift action.Arsenal ace Jack, who played 34 times for his country, told The Sun how he lost almost a stone due to stress during the month between her diagnosis and the surgery.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSEven worse was the moment when Siena, now six, was given an anaesthetic just before the op began.He said: “When I took Siena down to the surgery I had to drag my wife out of the anaesthetic room and we went to a room upstairs and we were just crying, both of us, for about 45 minutes.Heart murmur“It was five hours from hell, waiting for the phone to ring. It was a blur.”Jack and Andriani have now become ambassadors for the British Heart ­Foundation, and he praises the charity’s work in helping to keep poorly children like their daughter alive.Most read in FootballHe also hopes to alert other parents to the signs of heart problems.In Siena’s case the early symptoms for a congenital heart defect, which means it was present from birth, were not ­obvious.Four Arsenal stars confronted Arsene Wenger after huge stars sold to bitter rivals, reveals Jack Wilshere Jack said: “She was probably a bit more out of breath than her friends when she was on a trampoline, and chest infections hung around for longer.”Medics thought it may be due to asthma, because Andriani had ­it as a child.But it took two years for the real cause to be discovered, during a family holiday in Cyprus, where many of Andriani’s relatives live.Jack said: “My kids got ill — nothing serious — ear infections. The doctor listened to her heart and said, ‘I don’t want to worry you, but I can hear a bit of a murmur in her heart’, and said, ‘You should get it checked when you get back to the UK’.“That doctor saved my daughter’s life.”A cardiologist carried out a series of tests on Siena, and days later, rang Jack, who coaches Arsenal’s under-18s, just as he was about to go away with his squad.He recalled: “At the time I found out I was with my assistant.“I was at the training ground and I virtually broke down in his arms when I told him. All my staff were brilliant.”The hole in Siena’s heart was so serious that surgery was arranged for just a month later.Tests had revealed the gap in the muscle wall between the lower ­chambers of her heart meant it had to work much harder, which is why she was so out of breath.A tearful Andriani, 33, said: “I remember just falling to the floor and crying, I just couldn’t believe the news. It was shocking.”Siena after the life-saving February operationCredit: BBC SportOnly 40 per cent of people born with a heart defect need heart surgery.Often the issues are spotted while the child is in the womb.But the worst cases carry the chance of sudden death, and it is necessary to carry out the operations while patients are still young.Siena had a rare condition in which, Jack said, her veins had rerouted because they were leaking into her lungs.The wait for the day when she would be “fixed” was almost impossible for the doting dad to bear.And there was also the fear of his daughter undergoing a precarious operation.He said: “I remember the date she got diagnosed — the 27th of January — and she eventually had the surgery on the 27th of February, and that whole month I lost six kilos.Bag of nerves“I can’t even remember it, it was so stressful, because obviously there were risks involved in the surgery.”There was a one per cent chance she wouldn’t wake up.”His wife was equally anxious.Andriani said: “The night before, we were a bag of nerves. I remember having this feeling in the pit of my stomach.”A team of medics had to close the defect in Siena’s heart, which could have caused sudden death.She had surgery on Monday and we were back home on Friday. She was laughing, she’s really bubbly, she loves lifeJack WilshireAfter crying with his wife, Jack went for a coffee with his parents and took a walk around the block.Thankfully, they got the message that Siena had pulled through.Andriani recalled: “When we went down to the intensive care unit, it was all such a blur.“I heard Siena cry and it was then that I knew she was going to be OK.”Jack is in awe of the way his brave daughter had dealt with the terrible ordeal.He said: “I have been through surgery. I had a lot of injuries as a player, and it took me ages to recover.“She had the surgery on the Monday and we were back at home on the Friday and she was laughing.“She’s really bubbly, she loves life. It’s great to have her fixed.”And he added: “We call her our heart warrior. The bravery and strength she’s shown has been incredible.”Three months on, it seems that Siena is making a good recovery.Jack said: “The surgery has made all the difference and she has so much energy now.”Up against itThe breathlessness and coughing fits have relented.The couple are far from alone, because every day 13 babies in Britain are diagnosed with congenital heart disease.It was the British Heart Foundation which helped Jack and Andriani to understand what they were up against.Andriani said: “We didn’t know anything about congenital heart conditions and never thought our daughter would ever require open- heart surgery.“Turning to the BHF made us feel less alone and gave us the answers and support we needed.”The charity has been funding research into heart conditions for more than 60 years and put £99million into the field during 2022-2023.Wilshere and partner Andriani have become ambassadors for the British Heart FoundationCredit: BBC SportProud dad Jack says: ‘We call her our heart warrior’Credit: Eleven Miles.Jack said: “We’re supporting the British Heart Foundation because without life-saving research keeping children’s hearts beating, we might not have Siena here with us today.”It is not the first time the star has faced a health crisis with one of his children.His eldest son, Archie, 12, from his relationship with Lauren Neal, often had to be rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, suffering from seizures.Under controlJack, who also has daughter ­Delilah, ten, with Lauren and a four-year-old son, Jack Junior with Andriani, said in 2019: “My wife and I would sit up most nights because most of the seizures were happening at night.”Fortunately, doctors got the ­condition under control.Now Jack’s aim as a British Heart Foundation ambassador is to raise awareness of the charity’s important work and to encourage people to have any problems or concerns properly assessed.Many adults don’t even know they have a hole in the heart.Jack said: “There are people ­suffering cardiac arrests who have gone undiagnosed.”And he added: “You know your child better than anyone. If you think something isn’t quite right, don’t take no for an answer.READ MORE SUN STORIES“It is the most common defect you can be born with.”
      To donate £5 please text FIVE to 70507 and help British Heart Foundation fund more life-saving research.
      Jack played 34 times for EnglandCredit: Getty More