West Bromwich Albion and Scotland captain Darren Fletcher has told how he is in constant contact with sufferers of the bowel disease which threatened his career.
The footballer was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2011 and took an extended break from the sport as he battled the illness.
His condition could not be controlled by drugs, but he has made a full recovery after undergoing reconstructive bowel surgery.
Fletcher is now an ambassador for the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK, and he maintains contact with sufferers referred to him by the organisation.
In a BBC Radio 5 live Daily interview, he told Adrian Chiles: "I'm pretty much in constant contact with between 20 or 30 people through text message and phone call and maybe their journey through operations and the different stages of it.
"Once people have a successful story, the contact fades and they're getting on with their life and I've probably helped them through the process. But then within a week, someone else will give you a number to speak to someone else.
"I'm trying to do as much as I can, and I am trying to do it more. The biggest thing for me is that personal touch of being in constant contact through text or phone call. I really enjoy that. I do have people's names in my phone book saved under ulcerative colitis.
"They know who they're talking to and they find it quite bizarre, but after one phone call, they realise I'm not embarrassed by any subject, and I'll talk about anything, and I pretty much tell them my whole story and no embarrassment spared - and it seems to relax people.
"It doesn't matter if you're a Premiership footballer or what you are, illnesses don't pick and choose."
Ulcerative colitis causes ulcers in the large intestine, meaning sufferers need the toilet up to 31 times a day, and only have a few seconds to get there.
Fletcher said: "You are literally sprinting and running to toilets - it comes on so quickly and it can be every 20 minutes. You have no time to spare.
"These dashes - thinking about a toilet everywhere you are, at shops, or a restaurant. You are constantly scouting and scouring for toilets."
Since the footballer revealed he had the condition in 2011, charities say that awareness of the disease has increased greatly, something they call the "Darren Fletcher effect".
He spoke of his concerns that his children may be affected by the illness.
He told the BBC: "I do have that constant concern about my own children and I try and make sure they have a good diet and a healthy lifestyle and... just pray they don't suffer. It's not something I want anybody to experience."
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