Ostomy Awareness Day is on Saturday, Oct. 5. Some of you may read this and wonder, “What is an ostomy”? An ostomy is a surgical procedure where a passage is created to re-route bodily waste to the abdomen. Some of the reasons that individuals have an ostomy are infection, perforated diverticulitis, birth defects, trauma, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, cancers of the bowel, bladder, and cervix. A person with an ostomy is referred to as an ostomate. There are approximately 100,000 ostomy surgeries performed in the US annually. Ostomies truly save lives!
The United Ostomy Association of America, Inc. is dedicated to informing people about ostomies to provide information and reduce any stigma that may be perceived. Certified ostomy nurses in western NC are working with ostomates to connect through a newly established group. The WNC Ostomy Support Group is a UOAA Affiliate; we meet on the second Monday of each month. We have our meetings at the NC Cooperative Extension Meeting room, 876 Skyland Dr., Sylva, NC 2877. We would like to invite all ostomates and their caregivers to join us. If you have any questions, please inquire at ostomywnc@gmail.com.
Aimee Quillen, RN, CWON and Jody Burtner, RN, CWON
