Everyone Is Sharing This Brave Woman's Bikini Photo. This Is Why...

July 4, 2014

Bethany Townsend's bikini shot has has gone mega viral with more than 220,000 likes on the Crohn's and Colitis U.K. Facebook page.

COURTESY OF BETHANY TOWNSEND

Townsend is a 23-year-old makeup artist and aspiring model, reports CBS News. She looks amazing and toned in her black bikini, but she also happens to be sporting two colostomy bags. Townsend was diagnosed with Chron's disease at the age of 11 and had 16 inches of her bowel removed. After five more operations and a burst bowel four years ago, she got the colostomy bags.

"Finally after three and a half years, I decided that my colostomy bags shouldn't control my life," she says in the Facebook post. "So when I went to Mexico with my husband in December last year I finally showed I wasn't ashamed. Still hoping for a cure."

Cheers to Townsend for bravely and proudly showing off her body - colostomy bags and all - and giving a voice to a struggle that can be debilitating for millions of sufferers worldwide.

Via Womens Health Mag