A TEENAGER who has been battling an invisible illness for the past year is trying to raise awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.

Jade Hillsley, from Clacton, noticed she was becoming increasingly poorly about a year ago - she was vomiting, suffered from intense abdominal pain and noticed she was entirely lacking in energy.

She lost so much weight as a result of the disease that she dropped to 6st 12lbs and fainted - but she was totally unaware of the cause.

At one point she thought she was pregnant or had a UTI.

After a number of tests and a week long stay in hospital the teenager was finally diagnosed with Crohns in July last year as ulcers were found on her intestines.

The 19-year-old said the diagnosis 'turned her world upside-down' and she had to take 24 different types of medications to keep her symptoms under control.

She now takes 16 types of medication and will be moving onto biological medication which she will inject.

"I had been really poorly - I was constantly being sick and I lost a lot of weight," she said.

"But when I got my diagnosis it was a relief - it was like nobody believed how poorly I was before I was diagnosed.

"It felt like now everybody understood."

Tomorrow marks not only the Royal Wedding but World IBD Day and Jade will be taking to the streets to sell homemade baked goods to raise cash for Crohns and Colitis UK.

"I have tried so many different types of medication and therapies all of which didn’t help and I needed to throw myself into something positive.

"We thought as it's the Royal Wedding we'll make some cakes and we can raise some money to help fund a cure for Crohns as there isn't one - just medication to help control it.

"I want everybody to understand a lot more about Crohns as it does affect younger people.

"It's an invisible illness and I didn't know what it was before I was diagnosed.

"I just want to make people more aware of it."

The kindergarten apprentice is hoping to raise £200 for the charity.

The bake sale will be held on Cleve Close from midday until 4pm.