Hemel man dresses up for hospital treatment to boost morale and raise awareness of Crohn's disease

A stand-up comedian from Hemel Hempstead dressed up in a tuxedo for his latest hospital treatment for Crohn's disease to put a smile on other patients' faces.

Jake Steers visited Watford General Hospital for his latest treatment dressed in a tuxedo - not only to make others smile, but to raise awareness of the illness.

The 28-year-old who was diagnosed with the lifelong condition a week before his 21st birthday, Crohn's disease is where parts of the digestive system become inflamed.

Jake said: "Last year my medication stopped working, the new one means I have to go into hospital to have the treatment.

"I thought I would do something to make the other patients in that area, and the nurses smile so I dressed up in a tuxedo.

"I genuinely sat there for four hours looking like that which made the nurses at Watford General and other patients laugh and smile which is exactly what I wanted to achieve.

"I wanted to put my own touch on something that isn't exactly a positive thing, for me it was a bit of a morale boost. I have this illness for life and I will manage it my way, through humour.

"I have to go every couple of months and I have asked people what they think I should dress up as next, I've had lots of suggestions from Shrek, Mrs Bown's Boys, Borat and inflatable dinosaurs - not all of them would be appropriate or practical!"

The stand-up comedian hopes that his dressed up visits to hospital make other people smile, but also raise awareness of crohns disease, which he has described as an 'invisible illness'.

He said: "It is an illness that can really affect your mental health as well, it is an invisible disease, if you saw me on the street you wouldn't know I had it.

"For me it is a very frustrating illness and difficult to manage, I was fortunate that up until last summer the medication I had was working.

"It can beat people left, right and centre and it can be hard to live a normal life.

"I had the choice of letting it control my life, or taking control and put a smile on people's faces, and that's what I did, I wanted to turn something that wasn't so nice, into something positive."

To make a suggestion on Jake's attire for his next hospital appointment click here or visit: www.instagram.com/jakesteerscomedy.