Gemma Collins has detailed her battle with incontinence in a bid to break the “taboo” around the condition many women live with.
The former TOWIE star revealed that she has dealt with bladder leaks for most of her adult life, but has said “enough is enough” after suffering an accident while trampolining with her nephew, Hayden.
The ITV star remarked on how her incontinence has got worse as the years have gone on and the latest incident left her fearing she was “dying”.
She told new! Magazine: “I was soaked right through and the worst [things] just kept going through my head. I was thinking, ‘Oh gosh, am I going to need an operation? Am I dying?’
“I was so worried someone would be watching me, too, and that I wouldn’t be able to do fun things with Hayden ever again.”
The reality TV star went on to describe how “sad” it is that people don’t openly talk about the condition, despiteone in three women in the UK suffer from bladder incontinence, according to new research.
The 42-year-old continued: “It was unbelievable to find out how many women suffer with this, and yet there’s still a taboo surrounding it. It’s so sad. Since I’ve openly said ‘I get bladder leaks’, lots of people have thanked me for being open about it.
“Women have been silent for so long, or felt too embarrassed to say anything about it. I’ve even heard of some cancelling holidays or plans with friends because they’re scared of a leak. We should all be out there living our best lives.
Collins, who is engaged to Rami Hawash, 49, went on to credit incontinence pads for helping her to live and enjoy a normal life as well as for concealing any potential leaks.
The Essex native found fame on The Only Way is Essex in 2010 and quickly became a notably TV personality after appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, I’m A Celeb and Dancing on Ice, before landing her own series, Diva Forever.
