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Looking at Mollie Pearce – who made it all the way to The Traitors series two final – on the set of our exclusive OK!, she looks perfectly at home as she poses with ease for the cameras. However, this ease is still relatively new to the Bristol-based beauty, who was born with a limb difference on her right hand and now wears a stoma bag following a life-changing surgery at 18 years old to treat her ulcerative colitis – a painful, inflammatory bowel disease.
Now, three years on from having the ‘horrific’ surgery, the 22-year-old feels better than ever and is using her growing platform to raise awareness for those living with stoma bags. Here, the star talks to us more about becoming a disability model, taking inspiration from Katie Piper and celebrating life’s big wins (with a curry!).
Mollie, you’re a model by profession. How did you get into that?
When I was around 17 I walked into Primark and saw a campaign image of a model with one arm, and it never really occurred to me that it was even possible. I remember saying to my mum that I’d love to do that for other people, to inspire them. I didn’t have a stoma bag at that point but I was struggling with my ulcerative colitis and I’ve had a limb difference from birth.
Mollie is using her growing platform to raise awareness for those living with stoma bags
(Image: Catherine Harbour)
Shop Mollie’s look:
Anisa Sojka Earrings, £94 here
French Connection Waistcoat, £89 here, Trousers, £69 here
Black Tulip Studio Shoes, £100 here
Has being in campaigns helped boost your self-confidence?
Yes, definitely. Before I started modelling I never really showed off my hand. I didn’t ever feel like I needed to hide it but I think, self-consciously, I would put it behind someone’s back in a photo or cover it with my sleeve. After I posted about my first shoot, everyone was like, “Oh my God, we’re so proud of you.” That response made me want to show it more.
Did you have any celebrity inspirations growing up?
Kate Piper was a massive inspiration for me. I’ve never met her, but I think she’s so lovely. I just think her kind of opening up about everything and closing herself away after that happened was super important, and just makes people feel seen. And she’s obviously so beautiful still. Just having her in the spotlight when I was growing up was massively inspiring.
You celebrated your ‘three-year stoma-versary’…
Yes, and I normally celebrate with a curry because I could never eat that before my surgery. I think it’s important to celebrate it because it was when I got my life back. It’s good to acknowledge it and make it into something positive rather than remembering the surgery. I’ve even named my stoma bag Sid now. It makes it seem less clinical and more personal. It makes me feel a bit more empowered.
“I celebrate the anniversary with a curry because I could never eat that before my surgery,” Mollie says
(Image: Catherine Harbour)
Did you reach a point where you had to have surgery?
I was pretty much at a point where I needed it. I’d been in hospital twice within six months, and I was admitted once more before they basically said, ‘Look, we’ve got a treatment we can try, but it has a low chance of working’. I just remember being in so much pain and agony and I remember thinking to myself, ‘I’m going to have to go back on steroids’, which I hated because the side effects were so bad. And then I’ll probably be back here in six months having the surgery anyway.
I think I was just fed up. couldn’t do it anymore. So, yes, I agreed to the surgery, but they were definitely pushing me down that route. They were worried that if I didn’t have it, my colon was going to erupt and then that would be emergency surgery.
Abdominal surgery is topical at the moment because of the Princess of Wales. What was the recovery like?
Recovery was difficult. We forget how much we use our tummy muscles. I couldn’t do anything active for three months, but listening to your body and understanding that you won’t bounce straight back is important. And just having your home comforts helped. It was a relief to be at home with family.
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