A WOMAN from Penryn who fought her way back to fitness after being diagnosed with an incurable wasting disease has been named as the next 'face' of a leading sportsd nutrition brand.

Zoey Wright, 25, has always had a passion for fitness, yet this was taken away from her in an instant when she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis back in 2012. A form of inflammatory bowel disease and incurable condition, this meant she was in and out of hospital for two years.

Despite this ordeal, she has since gone on to defy all the odds. Just a few days ago, she received the perfect start to 2018, finding out that she has won a nationwide competition to become the next face of leading sports nutrition brand, USN.

A former sports rehabilitation student, the problems started for Zoey when she noticed her weight plummeting rapidly back in 2012 – doctors discovered that this was her body’s response to the healthy lining of her bowel wall coming under attack from white blood cells.

Causing ulceration of the lining of the large intestine, Zoey found herself in chronic pain. She had tried endless drugs and endured countless hospital admissions turning to bodybuilding as she sought an outlet to try and ‘escape’.

“My UC would remind me it was there, tearing away at my insides constantly” she commented. “It was mentally and physically pulling me down.”

Weaker than ever, Zoey decided enough was enough and received life-saving ileostomy surgery in November of 2014. The procedure which involves some or all of the large bowel being removed meant that she now wears an ostomy bag.

Whilst many would have given up, just ten months after this surgery Zoey stepped on stage as a fitness model for the first time, winning two categories.

She has since gone on to become the Overall World Champion for the largest growing fitness modelling federation in the UK, Pure Elite.

Upon hearing the news that she’d won USN’s campaign, she commented: “It’s so exciting to be joining the USN team for 2018 and crazy to think how far I’ve come since my diagnosis. I’ve always used their products and am delighted to have the opportunity to work with them.

“Hopefully together we can inspire and motivate others, to help them achieve their health and fitness goals no matter what!”

Sports nutrition brand USN have launched a body makeover challenge giving people access to free training and nutrition advice. www.usnbodymakeover.co.uk”