Mollie Pearce Opens Up About Stoma Travel Struggles

Mollie Pearce has detailed the struggles of travelling with a Stoma bag in a candid Instagram post on Monday. 

 season two star, 24, who recently jetted off to with her pop star boyfriend Connor Ball, said that she feels grateful to now be able to travel, but there were moments during her three-week trip when she felt 'low' and 'different'. 

In the candid video, Molly proudly displayed her Stoma bag while wearing a string of bikinis and stylish outfits in Thailand, as she opened up about how she didn't see one other person with a Stoma bag the whole time she was travelling. 

She also shared several throwback clips of herself in the hospital from several years ago, admitting that travelling at that time wouldn't have even been possible for her. 

In the candid video clip, she said: 'Hi, I'm Mollie, and I just travelled around Thailand for three weeks with a stoma bag. 

'This trip has always been a dream of mine, and I wanted to share with you guys what it was really like and the freedom my stoma gave me and the challenges I still face. 

'Honestly, my stoma is the reason I was even able to do this trip. A few years ago, travelling like this just wouldn't have been possible for me. 

'I was constantly thinking about where the toilet is, pain, and flare ups, and whether my body would allow me to enjoy anything at all.

'Thanks to my stoma, my health is better than ever. And being in Thailand for three weeks really reminded me of that. It didn't stop me doing the things I wanted to do. It actually gave me freedom to do them. 

'So many moments on this trip where I stopped and thought I wouldn't be here without it, and I genuinely love Sid the Stoma for that.

'But I do want to be really honest, and it wasn't easy all of the time, I think I'm quite good at sharing positive parts online, you know the highlights, the sunsets, the freedom.

'When I really stepped back, there were moments I felt low, and there were moments I felt different. 

'I didn't see one other person with a stoma bag the whole time I was travelling. And that sounds small, but for me it wasn't. 

'Because sometimes seeing someone who looks a little bit like you makes you feel less alone. 

'As much as I love what my Stoma has given me, it's still not the body I would have chosen to travel in. 

'I'm learning two things can be true at the same time. I can be incredibly grateful for this body and still find it hard to live in sometimes also love what my Stoma's given me. 

'But I still wish parts of this journey were easier. This trip showed me how strong my body is, but also reminded me that it's okay to admit when things feel heavy.

'So if you're watching this and have a stoma, or any kind of body that makes you feel different, you're not ungrateful for finding it hard, and you're not weak for needing space to feel both. 

'We're just doing our best to learn, how to hold the good and difficult at the same time.' 

Alongside the video clip, Mollie captioned the post: 'Just got back from three weeks in Thailand with my stoma bag and I wanted to share the parts I don’t always post about.

'I’m so grateful for what my body lets me do now but sometimes it’s still hard but I’m learning these things can exist at the same time✨'

Mollie starred on the last ever series of Dancing On Ice with professional partner Colin Grafton before the programme, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, was cancelled by ITV.