A mother who initially believed that 'off' milk on her cereal had caused her illness has been informed that her stomach has ceased functioning, leading to a prognosis of approximately one year to live. Emilie Cullum began vomiting after consuming a bowl of cereal in November 2024 and attributed the symptoms to expired milk. However, when the vomiting persisted for ten days, she sought medical attention at A&E, where doctors diagnosed her with Crohn's disease.
Despite ongoing difficulties with eating and persistent sickness, the 36-year-old mother of three arranged a private consultation with a specialist in February 2025. Subsequent tests revealed that Cullum, who owns an aesthetic clinic, suffers from gastroparesis—a chronic condition characterized by partial paralysis of the stomach. By the end of summer 2025, her weight had plummeted from 8 stone 5 pounds to 4 stone 8 pounds. The NHS has now placed her on palliative care due to her inability to gain weight.
Cullum continues to work to support her family, and a friend has initiated a fundraiser to finance private treatment that could extend her time with her children. Speaking from St Albans, Hertfordshire, she expressed the unimaginable horror of leaving her children. She recounted her initial symptoms, including violent sickness that led her to believe she had broken a rib. The specialist informed her that her stomach was entirely non-functional, and nothing was passing through.
Initially, she remained optimistic, assuming the condition could be corrected, but as her weight continued to drop and others commented, the gravity of the situation set in. During a hospital scan, she was told that without weight gain, she was effectively 'forced' anorexic and likely had no more than a year left. Last summer, a permanent tube was fitted in her bowel, allowing her to gain 14 pounds, but she has been unable to increase her weight further.
She is now fundraising for private Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) treatment, which delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream. However, she must reach a weight of 6 stone 9 pounds; her current weight is 5 stone 4 pounds. If she undergoes TPN on the NHS, she would need to remain in hospital for three-month stretches, separated from her family. The fundraising aims to enable home-based treatment. Cullum, married to 41-year-old golf teacher Kyle Cullum, noted that while their love remains strong, the illness has inevitably altered their relationship. She finds it difficult to be in hospital knowing her time is limited and wishes to avoid spending it away from her loved ones.
