98: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 9898: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 98
UK Health Radio Podcast
Da’Veon and his mum Vonnie share a detailed Hirschsprung’s journey, from delayed diagnosis and multiple surgeries to college, yoga and a new relationship with his body. Their conversation blends medical reality, family sacrifice and a strong focus on mindset, diet and hope.
44:46•6 Oct 2026
From Colostomy Bags to College Dreams: Da’Veon’s Hirschsprung’s Story
Episode Overview
- Early and persistent symptoms of Hirschsprung’s disease can be missed without specialist care, so parental persistence with doctors is crucial.
- Supportive teachers, schools and scholarship providers can make a huge difference for young people managing complex medical needs.
- Changing diet, focusing on colon health and reducing processed foods helped Da’Veon build kegel strength and body awareness.
- Regular exercise, including core work, Pilates and yoga, supported both physical function and mental discipline.
- Shifting mindset, using more positive self-talk and holding on to hope helped Da’Veon cope with isolation, embarrassment and past bullying.
“It takes real courage to be able to step out of your comfort zone.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s Hirschsprung’s Hour shifts the spotlight to Da’Veon, a young man living with Hirschsprung’s disease, and his mum Vonnie, as they unpack years of medical trauma, family resilience and a growing sense of faith in his own body.
Da’Veon talks frankly about being born in Norman, Oklahoma with no access to specialist gastro doctors, going four to five months without a bowel movement, and being rushed by emergency transport to children’s hospitals for multiple surgeries, colostomy bags and a mucus fistula. Vonnie, who was just 17 at the time, shares her side of the story – the misdiagnoses, being dismissed by professionals, and eventually dropping out of school to learn complex stoma care and fight for better treatment.
The episode doesn’t shy away from the emotional cost. Da’Veon recalls wearing nappies until 16, being teased at a predominantly white school, and feeling isolated and introverted.
Yet he keeps circling back to courage and mindset, saying, “it takes real courage to be able to step out of your comfort zone.” As an adult, he explains how changing his diet, studying the gastrointestinal tract, getting into strength training, Pilates and yoga, and working on his spiritual life helped his kegel muscles and body awareness improve.
He stresses colon health, home‑grown food, rest days and self-belief, while also acknowledging the huge role of supportive teachers, a scholarship provider and his mum. This episode speaks strongly to anyone dealing with chronic conditions, bowel issues or long-term recovery, as well as parents caring for medically complex children. It’s raw, honest and surprisingly funny in places, and it asks a simple question: what could change if you started speaking to yourself with a bit more kindness and hope?
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