A TEENAGER with a terminal bowel disease hopes groundbreaking treatment will save her life.

Beth Dobson has been told by doctors she could die within months of Crohn’s disease unless a radical treatment in London can cure her.

The 19-year-old suffers agonising pain every day because of her extreme and rare form of Crohn’s which causes narrowing of the gut.

She has two colostomy bags and takes morphine every day to numb the pain but remains hopeful that a procedure at St Bartholomew’s Hospital (known as Barts) will cure her and she will be able to live a normal life.

Miss Dobson, who was diagnosed at the age of 11, said: “It’s 50/50 whether I live or die if I have the treatment but if I don’t have the treatment I will die anyway.

"Normally I’m quite a positive person and I never let anyone see me down. But I have been crying every day – it’s all catching up with me.

“If the treatment is successful I will have a life I never thought I’d ever have.

"I feel like ‘what have I got to lose?’ At least I can say I’ve given it a go. I have been in hospital nearly all my life.”

The trial stem cell transplant, which will be carried out on the NHS, begins on Thursday with a series of tests on her heart, lungs and bone marrow. She will also have her eggs removed and is hopeful of one day finding a surrogate mother so she can have children.

Her treatment will involve one of two trials, both of which involve harvesting her stem cells and shutting down her immune system using chemotherapy. Stem cells are then grown, treated and reintroduced to her body so the immune system is able to ‘reboot’.

A healthy immune system protects the body but with Crohn’s disease an overactive immune system causes the body to attack itself because it is unable to tell the difference between normal body tissue and foreign substances.

The treatment could mean she is in hospital for a year in isolation from other patients and even members of her own family who will only be able to see her from behind glass because her immune system will be so weak.

Miss Dobson, of Blenheim Road, St John’s, Worcester, said the trial had only been tested on a small number of people – but it had worked.

She said: “I don’t care what I have to go through to be honest. I’ve suffered with this too long.

"All I want to do is show people with Crohn’s disease that there is hope.”

Since diagnosis she has had seven surgical procedures performed on her bowels either to untwist them or remove sections.

One of the operations nearly killed her when her bowel burst open and she says she is not prepared to have any more.

She has tried several treatments all of which have failed, including being tube fed between the ages of 11 and 16, steroids, chemotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs.

She also said she had received strong support throughout from her partner Ian Townsend and her mother Debbie Ryder.

• Miss Dobson wants to raise money for the Crohn’s and Colitis UK charity.

Because she is going to lose her hair when her chemotherapy gets underway, she plans to shave her head to raise money for the charity. To support her, visit justgiving.com/Bethany-Dobson

Sarah Rogers, a press officer for the charity, said: “This is clearly very exciting. We hope for the best outcome for Beth. In theory we could be looking at a cure for her.”

FACT FILE: Crohn's Disease

What is it?
An Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) which should not be confused with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) which is a completely separate condition, but which shares some symptoms. The two main types of IBD are Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease.

Who does it affect?
Approximately 60,000 people in the UK (about 1 in 1,000). Between 3,000 and 6,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Numbers have been rising steadily, particularly among young people. More recently, numbers have stabilised.

How does it affect the body?
It can affect anywhere from the mouth to the anus but most commonly affects the small intestine and/or colon. It causes inflammation, deep ulcers and scarring to the wall of the intestine and often occurs in patches.

What are the symptoms?
Pain in the abdomen, urgent diarrhoea, general tiredness and loss of weight. Crohn’s is sometimes associated with other inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, skin and eyes. Patients are likely to experience flare-ups in between intervals of remission or reduced symptoms.

What causes Crohn’s?
The cause or causes have not yet been identified. Both genetic factors and environmental triggers are likely to be involved.

What treatments are there?
Antibiotics can be used and a new range of drugs are being introduced called monoclonal antibodies such as infliximab. Crohn’s disease can also be helped by special liquid feeds which rest in the bowel. Surgery may be required to remove narrowed or damaged parts of the intestine.