IWD talk at Barnsley Town Hall – Body Image and Self Esteem

On Saturday 8th March I was invited to talk at Barnsley Town Hall as part of International Women’s Day by Experience Barnsley.  My talk was about my journey of ten years of chronic illness, surgery and living with a stoma.  I talked about Ulcerative Colitis and how my colectomy and ileostomy affected my life.

It was about raising awareness, trying to stop poo being taboo and relating my story to the average woman.  It was about body image, self esteem, confidence and positivity and how we need to both learn how to love ourselves as women and how to pass these things onto the young women of future generations.

Have a watch and please feel free to leave me a comment telling what you think.

Thanks for watching!

Sam xx

0 replies
  1. Cheryl Radford
    Cheryl Radford says:

    Congratulations on a great speech Sam. It was informative and inspiring as well as moving too (I got something in my eye!) Well done xx

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Radford
    Cheryl Radford says:

    Congratulations on a great speech Sam. It was informative and inspiring as well as moving too (I got something in my eye!) Well done xx

    Reply
      • Michelle Bailey
        Michelle Bailey says:

        Would really be great! I work in early years and my role is based around wellbeing, attachment, self esteem etc. It makes my heart sink that once the kids leave us all that falls by the way side! FYI had I been at the talk I would defo have started a rendition of I Am What I Am when you finished. Lol

        Reply
      • Michelle Bailey
        Michelle Bailey says:

        Would really be great! I work in early years and my role is based around wellbeing, attachment, self esteem etc. It makes my heart sink that once the kids leave us all that falls by the way side! FYI had I been at the talk I would defo have started a rendition of I Am What I Am when you finished. Lol

        Reply
  3. Jo
    Jo says:

    Wow Sam, I always though you are one awesome lady but you have taken it to another level.
    I’m lucky, I’m not ill but I do suffer. I worry all the time that I’m not good enough, not quite up to the mark. Your words struck a chord with me, I have taken great comfort from what you say. Keep going with this Sam because you’re an inspiration and you are making a difference. X

    Reply
  4. Jo
    Jo says:

    Wow Sam, I always though you are one awesome lady but you have taken it to another level.
    I’m lucky, I’m not ill but I do suffer. I worry all the time that I’m not good enough, not quite up to the mark. Your words struck a chord with me, I have taken great comfort from what you say. Keep going with this Sam because you’re an inspiration and you are making a difference. X

    Reply
  5. Corinne Healey
    Corinne Healey says:

    Wow, well done Sam, you truly are an inspiration, sat in tears watching this, I’m struggling with my body image and self-esteem at the moment I need to think more like you to accept and love my body for what it is, what you are doing is fantastic keep it up xxx

    Reply
  6. Corinne Healey
    Corinne Healey says:

    Wow, well done Sam, you truly are an inspiration, sat in tears watching this, I’m struggling with my body image and self-esteem at the moment I need to think more like you to accept and love my body for what it is, what you are doing is fantastic keep it up xxx

    Reply
  7. Susan
    Susan says:

    Wonderful! I’m actually so proud of you and I don’t even know you! As a previous commenter said, you should be in schools or at least produce a DVD which can be used in schools especially because of the massive increase of IBD being diagnosed in young children.
    My daughter was only 2 when diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. To say it was the worst day of my life is an understatement. I obviously immediately googled it all as you do and was horrified. Obviously in a lot of cases the end result of it all is a stoma and the thought of that for my young daughter just starting out in life was crushing and still is.
    However after seeing you I do feel better. Yes it is still life changing and there is huge mental battles to overcome as well as physical ones but a stoma isn’t that bad. You have quality of life. Thank you for raising awareness and taking some of the fear of the unknown away.
    I wish you and your family all the very best.

    Susan X

    Reply
  8. Susan
    Susan says:

    Wonderful! I’m actually so proud of you and I don’t even know you! As a previous commenter said, you should be in schools or at least produce a DVD which can be used in schools especially because of the massive increase of IBD being diagnosed in young children.
    My daughter was only 2 when diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. To say it was the worst day of my life is an understatement. I obviously immediately googled it all as you do and was horrified. Obviously in a lot of cases the end result of it all is a stoma and the thought of that for my young daughter just starting out in life was crushing and still is.
    However after seeing you I do feel better. Yes it is still life changing and there is huge mental battles to overcome as well as physical ones but a stoma isn’t that bad. You have quality of life. Thank you for raising awareness and taking some of the fear of the unknown away.
    I wish you and your family all the very best.

    Susan X

    Reply
  9. Gee
    Gee says:

    Respect :), you have scared one of my ghosts away for me as had a stomach ulcer 3 and half cm and worry what it could lead to. This talk has helped x

    Reply
  10. Gee
    Gee says:

    Respect :), you have scared one of my ghosts away for me as had a stomach ulcer 3 and half cm and worry what it could lead to. This talk has helped x

    Reply
  11. Patches
    Patches says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your story. So much of what you said really rang true. I’m a high school teacher and I try really hard to be a good role model for my students, particularly girls, but you’re right. I can’t just encourage them to like themselves, I have to lead by example too by showing them I think I’m bad ass as well.

    Reply
  12. Patches
    Patches says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your story. So much of what you said really rang true. I’m a high school teacher and I try really hard to be a good role model for my students, particularly girls, but you’re right. I can’t just encourage them to like themselves, I have to lead by example too by showing them I think I’m bad ass as well.

    Reply

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  1. […] talk last week for International Women’s Day was about chronic illness and body image and so it got me thinking about beauty, how we see […]

  2. […] talk last week for International Women’s Day was about chronic illness and body image and so it got me thinking about beauty, how we see […]

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