Dynamo discusses how Crohn’s disease changed his appearance and affected his magic
'There’s certain physical things I can’t do'
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Your support makes all the difference.Dynamo has spoken out about living with Crohn’s disease, revealing how the incurable condition has left him unable to use his hands to perform certain magic tricks.
In his first TV interview since the British magician posted a video on Twitter explaining how a severe case of food poisoning had exacerbated his Crohn's symptoms and caused him to keep a low profile, he also opened up about his drastically different appearance.
Speaking on 'BBC Breakfast' on Wednesday, Dynamo - whose real name is Stephen Frayne - confessed he had put on two stone due to a change in medication that had also caused him to develop a rash.
The 35-year-old was diagnosed with Crohn’s at the age of 15, however, his condition has worsened in recent months.
Having just returned from Lebanon, where the philanthropic magician was working on a campaign to give Syrian children an education, Dynamo appeared on 'This Morning' to talk about working with refugees and living with Crohn’s.
Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition which affects the digestive system; as a type of inflammatory bowel disease, it can lead to diarrhoea, fatigue and cramps, according to the NHS.
While there’s no cure, the condition is usually treated with steroid tablets, which reduce the inflammation in the digestive system.
Living with Crohn’s can be unpredictable, as symptoms can flare-up at sporadic intervals during childhood and adulthood.
“It’s nothing compared to how they have to live,” Dynamo said on 'This Morning', referring to the Syrian children he'd been working with.
“I try not to let myself be defined by my illness.
“This is the first time that I’ve been so bad that I’ve needed to have certain medication that has caused an actual physical change in my body.
“It was too hard to hide and too hard to ignore,” he added, revealing the extent of comments he’s received from fans regarding the change in his appearance.
“People were taking photos of me and then online were saying ‘oh look, he’s let himself go’ so I wanted people to know the real story from me before they heard it from somewhere else.”
When asked to explain how his condition had affected his magic, Dynamo revealed he’s had to make some changes to his routine, as Crohn’s has caused him to develop arthritis.
“There’s certain physical things I can’t do,” he said, revealing that the arthritis spread to his hands and forearms.
However, the magician is not letting his symptoms dampen his spirits, explaining that it’s actually inspired him to think outside of the box and come up with new ideas for his live shows and TV appearances.
“I wouldn’t count me out just yet,” he continued.
“Life throws things at you and the way I see it, you get obstacles put in your way and you can choose to let them stop you or you can choose to go through them and that’s what I’m doing."
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