Emilie Cullum, a 36-year-old mother of three and owner of an aesthetic clinic, never imagined that a simple bowl of cereal would trigger a life-changing health battle.In November 2024, Emilie suddenly started vomiting shortly after eating breakfast. At first, she assumed the milk had gone bad and thought it would pass quickly. Instead, the vomiting continued relentlessly.
After 10 days of being unable to keep any food down, she went to the hospital for help.Doctors initially suspected Crohn’s disease, a condition affecting the digestive system. However, despite treatment and multiple medical appointments, her condition kept getting worse. She struggled to eat and grew increasingly weak.Determined to find answers, Emilie consulted a private specialist in February 2025. After extensive testing, she was diagnosed with gastroparesis — a rare and serious condition in which the stomach becomes partially paralyzed and can no longer move food properly through the digestive system.Her health declined rapidly in the following months.
By the summer of 2025, her weight had dropped dramatically from 53 kilograms to just 29 kilograms. The severe weight loss and inability to eat left her facing an uncertain future.Due to the gravity of her condition, the NHS placed her on palliative care. A close friend, wanting to help, launched a fundraiser to support her treatment at home. The aim was to provide her with TPN (intravenous) nutrition therapy outside the hospital, allowing Emilie to stay close to her three young children while continuing her fight against this debilitating illness.
