Got Stoma?

Join Vlogostomy in her crusade to show that not everyone with a stoma is eldery or even just down to IBD!

I personally think this is a great idea and we have noticed a huge amount of positive vibes about doing this, well until the other day when I was hit with four people shutting the idea down. Maybe I didn’t explain it properly to them as I had been on nights, that and being pregnant my brain is just mush. But you can’t please everyone and get them on board and that’s fine because the world would be a boring or scary place heck maybe even both!

So I spoke to Jo the woman behind Vlogostomy (which is the name of her YouTube channel) about her idea and what she hoped to achieve from doing this since no one can really explain it better than the woman herself!

We are hosting a series of exhibitions in the UK that will raise awareness and understanding of ostomies. We will have some information (and hopefully appliances and products) for interested visitors but the main purpose of the exhibition is to display photos of ostomates from all over the world, young and old, proudly showing off their various pouches or stomas. We have many interesting, funny and glamorous photos already from ostomates eager to participate, and Jo has the backing of her local MP. We would love some appliances and products to show visitors and someone who could answer a few questions if they arise, and as we aren’t a charity any sponsorship funds would be greatly appreciated!

We have a Facebook group which you can talk to any of the admin (me included, I’ve got my fingers in a lot of pies) here this has all of the extra information needed and you can talk to Jo directly. We are hoping to do this on World Ostomy Day which is Saturday 7th October 2017. I liked this idea because I am not defined by my stoma and I feel there needs to be less stereotypes against stomas. To many people are scared to ask people about it, one of my brother in laws (I have four!) has NEVER felt too shy to ask me thing. But he was curious to see the bag (I don’t think he wanted or needed to see my stoma ha ha) and my sister had to ask for him, I was like pfft sure there it is. I just remember him being all like oh ok, which my sister laughed at as she has seen many stomas in her time as a health care assistant in various settings.

I want to be part of something that shifts the social taboos over stomas and if this helps then I am ALL for it and I hope you will be too.