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The story of a British man named "Jo" who was born without an anus has been revealed. Daily Mail, UK

The story of a British man born without a natural anus has come to light.

On the 23rd (local time), the British Daily Mail reported the story of a man named 'Joe' who was born without an anus. He has hidden his condition, known as imperforate anus, throughout his life and has lived in extreme pain, often struggling with fecal incontinence during his teenage years.

Imperforate anus is a condition where a baby is born without an anus or the anus is not located within the normal sphincter muscles. According to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States, about one in every 5,000 newborns is born with imperforate anus. Doctors diagnose the condition within 24 to 48 hours if a newborn does not pass stool at all and stool is found to pass through the vagina, penis, scrotum, or urethra. If the diagnosis is delayed, the baby’s abdomen may become swollen. Babies diagnosed with imperforate anus can choose between surgery to divert the digestive tract to a colostomy pouch attached to the abdomen or surgery to create an artificial anus and sphincter.

Joe underwent surgery to create an artificial anus on the surface of his abdomen, but this artificial anus often causes extreme stress in social life due to concerns about leakage. In fact, patients often complain of a decreased quality of life even after surgery. Joe is currently known to spend about an hour a day in the bathroom, where he empties the stool-filled pouch connected to his digestive system into the toilet. Regarding this, Joe said, "I have lived a difficult life, but having this condition has made me a more empathetic person," and added, "I can now share my story with others without shame." He also joked, "I have to visit the bathroom frequently, but the advantage is that I have never had constipation. It’s really annoying." He is currently working to raise awareness of imperforate anus through social media.

Netizens who heard his story responded with comments such as, "I respect Joe for his positive attitude," "I hope imperforate anus patients will no longer be stigmatized," and "I support Joe as he continues to live his life diligently."