Bethany Townsend, a 23-year-old make-up artist from Worcester, has inspired people all over the world after sharing a holiday photo of herself sporting a bikini and two colostomy bags on Facebook. 

Townsend has been suffering from Crohn's disease since she was three years old. After experiencing the debilitating effects of the disease and undergoing surgical treatment in 2010, she started using colostomy bags through which her stool is accumulated.

Like Us on Facebook

After having surgery, Townsend thought she had to step back and reconsider her modeling dreams.

However, after her image had gone viral online, she has gone back over to her options, and so have many other people around the world with the same condition as Townsend's.

The photo had been viewed over 10 million times, gained over 200,000 "likes", and drawn out over 10,000 comments from users on Facebook, many of them suffering from similar conditions.

Others began to do the same thing, posting selfies with colostomy bags or exposing their abdomens and baring the long scars they carried due to surgical treatment for their bowel disease.

Since then, Townsend has become an internet sensation, inspiring both women and men to feel comfortable with their colostomy bags and living with IBD.

The photo was first viewed when the 23-year-old presented it to Crohn's and Colitis UK, a group committed towards improving the living standards of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which can take the form of Crohn's and ulcerative colitis.  

The organization shared the photo on its Facebook page; from there, others with IBD began posting their photos with the hashtag #GetYourBellyOut to raise awareness on IBD.

This call for awareness does not only rely on photos; Townsend is also encouraging people with IBD to post details of both their troubles and triumphs while battling IBD.

This is expected to establish a comprehensive dialogue and increase education about the said condition. 

TagsBethany Townsend, crohns disease, Colostomy bag