Good news – we have announced the shortlist for the Ostomy Lifestyle Awards, and there are loads of fantastic nominations!
It was really enjoyable judging the different categories, to see so many positive things going on and people keen to recognise those that have made a difference.
Here’s the final shortlist: (more…)
Another cancer drug rejected by NICE. But how much do we really know about the process to get these treatments on the NHS?
As ever this is a very contentious issue, especially for the patients and their families hoping Avastin (bevacizumab) will do what it says on the tin. The role of NICE is to work out how much money they can spend for every extra year, or month a drug keeps someone alive, or improves their quality of life. As this is taxpayers money, there is never going to be enough to pay for all the treatments they consider, unless other health services or treatments are reduced at the same time.
Is it fair that pharmaceutical companies can hold governments to ransom? Sure, they have R&D costs to recover, and according to the CEO’s of these corporations they need to make the rewards worth all the investment, but when their marketing budgets can easily be bigger than their research costs, how valid is that argument? (more…)
The latest information sheet from Ostomy Lifestyle – A guide to the types of stoma bag available – is now on the website for you to download and print at home. See the Information Sheets page for more details.
Like all of our publications it is clear, concise, and sticks to the facts, and solves a typical problem we are regularly asked about on the Helpline. Usually someone’s choice of bag is easy to make, but often they need to consider different components depending on their lifestyle, body shape, or type of stoma, especially between a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy.
By giving people the opportunity to quickly see the most basic differences between appliances we can be sure they can make informed choices for themselves, and resolve any problems if they arise. (more…)
Would you like to get involved in developing new ostomy underwear and hernia support garments? Ever since the Underwear & Swimwear Show back in April this has been a hot topic, and lots of people and companies are keen to develop the sorts of clothes that you find useful.
We often get enquiries from companies developing new ostomy products, and right now one of them is looking for people to test their new ostomy underwear & support designs. This is an opportunity to make sure that other people affected by stoma surgery can get useful products, and also some free underwear for you 
If you are interested, drop us a line via the website and we will get them to give you a call. If this is a success and we feel that it makes a positive difference, you will see us looking for more volunteers to conduct all sorts of ostomy related projects.
Thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery fund, we are now able to expand and develop our range of patient information sheets. To make sure we don’t simply duplicate information that is already available, or produce material on topics that don’t really affect people, we are consulting with the group we aim to reach.
We have gathered together a Patient Panel who will assist us by completing online surveys and reviewing literature. The Panel come from all walks of life and have had very different experiences of living with a stoma, and have come to us through stoma care nurses, social networking, and Ostomy News. Their insights will ensure that we address those key issues that people face before and after stoma surgery. (more…)
So there’s a book out by William Shawcross about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and this one describes her surgery for colon cancer, but “discredits the long-held belief she was fitted with a colostomy bag”. This again raises the question of whether the Queen Mother did or didn’t have a colostomy and, once again, we have to have the debate about finding a celebrity with a stoma.
I have to question the motivations of those people attempting to ‘out’ people that have had stoma surgery; are they looking for a cheap laugh (e.g. Trevor Philips), or a celebrity vehicle for their own interests?
Or are they seeking some sort of comfort from a positive role model who shows that having stoma surgery does not have to hold you back from being successful or glamorous. (more…)
I’m really pleased to see all of the great nominations people are sending in for the Ostomy Lifestyle Awards. It’s a real pleasure to read the amazing stories and the many positive accounts of the great work going on at the moment.
These awards celebrate the people and organisations that promote positivity and improve the quality of life of people affected by colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy surgery, as well as the myriad of associated conditions that get talked about even less.
There’s still time to make a nomination (closing date is Friday 16th October), the judges will meet on 30th October, and everyone nominated will be informed in November. The categories are:
This is a great chance to publicly honour the individuals and organisations that make a real difference to people affected by stoma surgery, so if you know someone that desrves an award, get in touch soon!
If you are a local support group organiser you might be eligible for free training from Ostomy Lifestyle.
Our 1-day course, Maximising Support After Stoma Surgery, is an interactive workshop which looks at how and why all 3 types of stoma are made and examines solutions to many of the lifestyle issues that people may face after stoma surgery.
If you think you could pass the benefit of this knowledge and information on to your group then contact us on 0118 324 0069 to receive a bursary application form.
After being made aware of this article in the Daily Mail yesterday I very nearly wrote a letter to the editor to express my disappointment, but I from experience I know that this will probably be a waste of time – which is a precious commodity in a small charity like ours.
It is almost exactly one year since the Daily Mail last published an article about the horrors of having a stoma, stating it is an “embarrassment”, and causes “psychological problems”, so I wonder if scaremongering directed at sufferers of conditions such as cancer, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease will become an annual event for the paper? (more…)
Ostomy Lifestyle’s underwear and swimwear fashion show celebrated looking great after stoma surgery, featuring real people feeling sexy and confident.
Volunteer models, all with a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy, took part in this first of a kind event, which was an amazing experience for everyone involved, and showcased lingerie and beachwear from high street brands and top name designers.
You can see a video of the event here
