Zoey Wright

At the age of 20, doctors told Zoey that she had Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) – a serious, life-long illness that causes an upset stomach, tiredness and weight loss.

Zoey’s IBD continued to get worse as the years passed. At times, she wasn’t able to walk or get out of bed. In 2012, Zoey spent a month in hospital, where doctors told her she would need to have complicated surgery. Zoey changed her training style and began to use bodybuilding as therapy. This soon became her passion and, eventually, her career.

In 2014, Zoey became very ill again. She chose to have surgery which involved her large intestine being removed. She was given a stoma (where the small intestine is brought outside the body), resulting in having to wear an ostomy bag.

With strength, courage and determination, Zoey has continued her bodybuilding and won several contests. She achieved first place in the ‘Figure’ and ‘Body Transformation’ categories of the Pure Elite 2015 Muscle Model competition. She also qualified for the world championships. In 2016, Zoey became a Pro Figure competitor and entered her first Pro show at the O2 Arena in November. On her Facebook page, Zoey has said: “You are stronger than your illness.”