(Picture: Tasha Whiteside)

Six-year-old Brody Whiteside has melted the hearts of thousands after a picture of him wanting to be ‘just like his daddy’ was posted to the Crohn’s and Colitis UK Facebook page.

However, the picture didn’t show Brody wearing his dad’s clothes or putting on his work boots.

Why Britain's countryside is still unwelcoming for people of colourNo, little Brody was all smiles as he tried on one of his dad’s ostomy bags – a bag that is worn to collect waste from a surgical opening in the abdomen called a stoma.

Brody’s dad, Brian Whiteside, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of Inflammatory bowel disease, back in December 2009.




Brody’s mother, Tasha Whiteside, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Brian spent a week in hospital with bleeding and severe stomach pain.

‘I was pregnant with Brody at the time. He was sent home with steroids and Mezavant and he started to feel better.

Brian was diagnosed with UC in 2009 (Picture: Tasha Whiteside)

‘He had the odd flare but with his regular medication and steroids he would eventually get back to ‘normal’, well, what he would call as normal as you could be with UC.’

But at the end of 2013, Brian took a turn for the worse.

‘Brian had a flare up but this time the medication didn’t work,’ Tasha said.

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‘The UC was half way around his large colon and he was in constant pain and going to the toilet up to 50 times throughout the day and night.

‘After stays in hospital with IV steroids and other medication nothing seemed to be working.’

On 22 December 2015, Brian attended an appointment with a surgeon to speak about his options. Brian was told that he was very unwell and was advised to have surgery.

Brody wants to be just like his daddy (Picture: Tasha Whiteside)

On arrival home that day, Brian told Tasha that he couldn’t go on being in constant pain, and decided to opt for the surgery.

They told Brody and his three older brothers about the decision, and they were all incredibly supportive and ‘coped very well’.

Tasha said: ‘After six years of Brian being very ill at times and no family days out for all that time, I think they were pleased with the decision.’

It’s now been eight months since Brian underwent surgery, which saw him have his large bowel and rectum removed in order to have use an ostomy bag permanently.

Brian’s life has changed for the better – and he has a great bond with young Brody who takes a huge interest in daddy’s bag.

Brody and his three older brothers have been very supportive of their dad (Picture: Tasha Whiteside)

‘He takes an interest when Brian changes it and when the bag is off Brody tells me it looks like a worm,’ said Tasha.

Brody was intrigued by the bag that one afternoon he surprised his parents by trying one on for himself.



‘Brian and myself were watching TV when Brody came downstairs and lifted his top to show us he was wearing one of Brian’s bags,’ Tasha said.

‘He said: “I just want to be like daddy today”.

‘Brody knows that daddy is broken inside but the bag has made him much better.

‘He now enjoys walking the dogs with daddy and going out – something that he hasn’t done in a long while because of this disease.’

Alongside Brody and Brian’s bond, it is coming together as a family as a whole that has really helped them all through such a difficult time.

‘This disease can take not only your health but happiness, finances and friends if you let it, But we are lucky,’ Tasha said.

Their strong family bond has helped them through a very difficult time (Picture: Tasha Whiteside)

‘Okay, our wedding savings are all gone due to the time off work through Brian’s op and being ill but we still have great friends that have supported us and a great family that has always been there for us.

‘We have each other but most of all we have four fantastic children between us that despite everything have understood what Brian has gone through and haven’t moaned about what they have gone without.’

If you or a loved one are struggling with IBD, please seek support on the Crohn’s & Colitis UK website.

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