Which would you choose?

The Colostomy Association are launching a crowdfunding campaign for Stoma Aid.  You can change the lives of thousands of people with a stoma across the world by helping spread the word about Stoma Aid by pledging a Facebook post or Tweet in our Thunderclap campaign.

Millions of people worldwide have a stoma – where an opening has been made on their abdomen which allows waste to pass out of their body. For these people, a stoma bag is necessary to securely, conveniently and safely collect output from their stoma.

However, thousands of people with a stoma across the world are forced to use tin cans, carrier bags and bits of cloth because they are unable to afford the cost of a stoma bag. In Papua New Guinea there are only two stoma care nurses in the entire country; in the Philippines a single bag costs a week’s wages.

For people with a stoma in developing countries, infection and hernias are extremely common as a result of them having to use tin cans and carrier bags. Many people are left unable to work or leave their home because of embarrassment and medical complications.

Each month, tens of thousands of stoma bags are thrown away in the UK as they are no longer needed. We will collect these unused bags and distribute them to people in need in developing countries across the world.

It will only take £22,000 to change the lives of thousands of people across the world. Help us spread the word about Stoma Aid and give someone a #BagOfLife.

Please get involved.

The last two years have been so hard, yet I am lucky enough to live in the UK and the NHS has supported me fully both with the actual surgeries but also with a constant free supply of ileostomy bags and a trained stoma nurse on call.  Sometimes I wonder how different my life would be if I lived in a country where I had to pay for my treatment and supplies.  But then I cannot even IMAGINE how it would be to have no access to ostomy bags, to live in a country where I had to make do with bags, plastic, cans or bottles.

It is heartbreaking to think about the people who are dealing with this every day.  To lose your bowel and have to have an ostomy is tough enough, but to then deal with feeling dirty, smelly and humiliated and have to create a bag out of rubbish is unbelievable.

Please pledge a Facebook message and a tweet.  It takes two minutes and means on 1st May when this campaign launches, it will do so with a huge boost on social media.

Thank you

Sam xx