Beth faced her fear of showing her stoma bag & found a new confidence

When clients arrange a photoshoot with us in their twenties it’s usually because they’ve been through a lot early in life, and Beth is no exception. At the age of just 22, she’s fought a life-threatening illness which left her with a stoma bag and is trying to regain control of her life and confidence in her body. Her beautiful photos stand as a permanent reminder of who she is, what she’s overcome and everything she can achieve. We’re so proud!

I hope I can inspire some other lovely ladies with my brief story. My body confidence has never been great and I have been through a lot in the last 4 years, both mentally and physically.

I had bowel disease that took control of my life for years and it made me severely ill to the point where it became life threatening. So here I am 4 years later with a permanent stoma bag. Yes, a stoma bag at the age of 22.

I felt very self conscious when my bag was fitted and would always hide my tummy for fear of showing it, but I recently decided that it’s time that I took my life back and regained control.

Over this year I’ve started to gain confidence and I thought it was time I rose above it all. It inspired me seeing other ladies’ stories on Foxlow’s Facebook page and I really liked the photos I saw, so I decided to book a shoot for myself and face my fears of showing my stoma bag.

I loved my photoshoot with Jon, Charlotte and Danielle. I was extremely nervous beforehand, but soon became relaxed once I was there. They all really made me feel at home and at ease.

I loved my hair and makeup! Charlotte asked what I liked and what I didn’t like to make me feel more comfortable before she started and the look she created was quality. I must admit, my nerves came back when I first walked into the studio, but I felt at ease as soon as we started.

Returning for my viewing a few days later, I was amazed at how the photos came out! Jon made ordering my photos easy and was so flexible, arranging a brilliant payment plan to what I could afford. I can’t wait to see my finished album, but I’m sure it will exceed expectations.

This shoot helped me learn to love my insecurities and I now feel a lot more confident in myself. I have the team at Foxlow to thank for that!

I’m just hoping that my photos can show people that it doesn’t matter if you have a disability or not. No one can tell you that you’re not pretty enough… or you’re not good enough… at the end of the day, only your voice matters. Screw those who say otherwise and rise above it all!