Young Alpecin-Deceuninck cyclist countinues to fight for his dream despite a chronic bowel disease: "I lost 10 kilos in 2 weeks"
Cycling
Within the ranks of Alpecin-Deceuninck is a young rider who is doing the practically impossible to achieve his cycling dream. At just 23 years old, Siebe Roesems is battling a chronic bowel disease. Despite this, the son of former pro Bert Roesems is not giving up. The youngster who rides for the Alpecin-Deceuninck development team recently revealed through his personal Instagram account that he struggles with the chronic bowel disease ulcerative colitis.
The young Belgian cyclist is already back in training. However, he spent two very complicated weeks in hospital: "I thought I'd had my share of bad luck. Until this year," Siebe Roesems begins, referring to an accident he had in 2016, when he almost lost his leg.
"My race results and my overall feelings started to get worse. And then I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic intestinal disease for which there is no cure. I spent two weeks in the hospital and lost almost 10 kilos. I almost lost a piece of my intestine and I lost so much blood that I became anemic," Roesems says.
The case of this young pearl of Alpecin-Deceuninck is a tough one. Now, however, everything seems to be back on track. At least for the time being, thanks to a drug that is working for him: "I'm lucky to have found a drug that works for me right now. Thanks to the support of my family and Alpecin-Deceuninck, I can train again. So never give up and see you in 2025!"
An icon for the fight against his disease
Siebe Roesems wants to use his fight against the disease he suffers from to help anyone who is going through the same ordeal: "If you have any questions about IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), don't hesitate to contact me," concludes the 23-year-old cyclist.
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