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A woman living with Crohn’s disease was bizarrely told to eat more marshmallows instead of attempting to claim more disability living allowance.

Carley Graham, of Ayr, claims she was told she wasn’t ill enough to claim more cash – but marshmallows would harden her stoma bag so it wouldn’t burst.

The 23-year-old, who is given just £20 a week DLA, says she is too weak to work extra shifts or longer hours.

The McDonalds worker was diagnosed with the disease when she was just four years old and has undergone chemo, operations and had a stoma bag put in when she was 11 years old.

At 16, when funds were transferred into her account as she was classed as an adult, her allowance was slashed to the lowest rate, which she tried to appeal.

Carley feels herself, and others living with Crohn’s, should receive a higher rate of DLA.

She said: “I get £80 a month every month, so £20 a week.

“I don’t get mobility, help aid or anything. It can be - and certainly is for me - a life changing disease.

“Although sometimes we may look “normal” our insides are still wasting away. I have to take a load of strong medication that wipes me out just to get through each day.

“I’m 23-years-old – I don’t want to be walking about with a walking stick.”

During the appeal six years ago Carley was told she didn’t need to claim more money, which she needed because her stoma bag would often burst.

Carley said: “The money was going towards new mattresses, pyjamas and pants because my bag burst quite a lot.

“My bag can burst up to five times a day.

“One woman said to me ‘Do you like marshmallows? You should eat more marshmallows because they’ll harden up your stoma bag so it won’t burst so you don’t need money.’

“I just left there and cried.

“I just thought is this a joke? Eat marshmallows? I’m not well enough to work and doctors tell me that.

“But I can’t afford not to work – if I wasn’t working, I’d be homeless."

(Image: Ayrshire Post)

Carley is documenting her story via her online Facebook blog, Life with Crohn’s, in which she aims to depict a raw and honest picture of what living with the disease is like.

She said: “A lot of people think Crohn’s is diet related or it’s just about the bowls, when it’s not. It affects other parts like your mouth and oesophagus and skin.

“It’s going somewhere and constantly thinking ‘where’s the nearest toilet?’

During a flare up Carley gets mouth ulcers, swollen lips, heartburn and indigestion, and a swollen throat.

Carley bravely battled on despite caring for her mum, Ruby Black, who sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 46.

Carley said: “My mum was my best friend, my rock.

“She lived through my Crohn’s with me.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “DLA is paid depending on how a person’s health condition affects them.

“If anyone is not satisfied or happy with their allowance, they can be reassessed.”

Follow Carley’s journey at: https://www.facebook.com/Carleyslifewithcrohns/