75: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 7575: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 75
UK Health Radio Podcast
Host Tom Richard talks with Annalise about her son Jack’s journey through prematurity, Hirschsprung’s disease and colostomy, sharing medical challenges, practical hacks and emotional realities. The conversation moves from NICU memories to potty training and school support, with humour and hope woven through the tougher moments.
44:35•31 Mar 2026
Premature Birth, Poop Jokes and Colostomies: Jack’s Hirschsprung’s Story
Episode Overview
- Late diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s can happen when other conditions and prematurity mask the typical early symptoms.
- Colostomy surgery, though scary at first, can dramatically improve a child’s comfort, growth and overall health.
- Parents often end up learning complex medical skills at home, from NG tubes to irrigations and stoma care.
- Diet, fibre and laxatives need careful, individual adjustment, as every Hirschsprung’s child responds differently.
- Formal school accommodations can protect a child’s right to toilet access and privacy, helping reduce future stigma.
“I joke about how I’m like an unofficial nurse now because I can place an NG tube, I know how to deal with colostomies… all these things I never thought I would learn.”
How do people manage co-occurring health issues while recovering from serious bowel conditions? This episode of The Hirschsprung’s Hour on UK Health Radio follows Annalise as she shares her son Jack’s rollercoaster start to life with Hirschsprung’s disease and duodenal atresia.
Hosted by Tom Richard, the chat has a relaxed, friendly feel, even as it covers some very intense moments: an emergency C-section at 28 weeks, a tiny baby on IV nutrition, and the long wait for that all-important first poo. Annalise jokes that the NICU became “an early introduction to talking about poop often,” but the humour sits alongside real fear, confusion and exhaustion.
You’ll hear how Jack went from 79 days without a bowel movement to needing a colostomy at six months, and why Annalise now calls herself “an unofficial nurse” after mastering NG tubes, irrigations and stoma care. She explains the relief that came once his colostomy was formed, the reality of “colostomy blowouts”, and the emotional toll of procedures such as anal dilations, which she describes as “the absolute hardest thing”.
The conversation also moves into everyday life: potty training a Hirschsprung’s child, dealing with constant laundry, using special underwear liners, and negotiating sugar and Halloween sweets when too much candy can trigger a week-long crash. Annalise talks about working with a specialist colorectal clinic, early intervention therapies, and setting up school accommodations so Jack can use the toilet whenever he needs to.
This is an honest, sometimes funny, often raw account of parenting a child with a complex bowel condition, with a steady thread of hope as Jack grows, thrives and gains more independence. If you’re caring for a child with Hirschsprung’s, or you just want to understand what families actually live through, this conversation might be exactly what you need today. What part of Annalise and Jack’s story resonates most with your own experience of long-term health challenges?
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