The Ostomyland Stand at Breakaway - May 2012 Event

We’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Breakaway very much for hosting our stand during their May Day Weekend event over the last three days. Our very own Sarah was there to fly the flag for Ostomyland, which also attending the Colostomy Association stand in her role as CA Facebook Group admin.

We hope all the kids who attended the weekend had a great time and made lots of new friends, and the Mums and Dads too managed to get some mud on their faces too.

And to all the kids, Mums and Dads who are visiting Ostomyland for the first time as a result of the event’s exhibition, welcome! We hope you enjoy your stay with us, and if you need any help with the site please feel free to message me.

Finally, for more information on the excellent Breakaway charity please visit their website linked below. Julie, Hannah and everyone there do a fabulous job.

External Links:
Breakaway‘s website: http://www.breakaway-visits.co.uk
Colostomy Association Website: www.colostomyassociation.org.uk

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All the large ostomy companies were present and correct in the exhibition held in the Washington Suite of the Barceló Imperial throughout the three days of the meeting, of which the friday evening was set aside for them to set up their stands.

The official start of the conference was on the Saturday morning. From 9am to 11am the exhibition was open for attendees and delegates to get their first look of this years exhibitors. Following this at 11am was the official welcome and opening speech, given by Mr Nigel A. Scott BSc MD FRCS, President of the North West Lancashire & Cumbria IA & President of the Association of Coloproctology of GB and Ireland (ACPGBI).

After this, and throughout the weekend, a number of guest speakers and delegates were lined up to give speeches and presentations on a number of important issues based around ostomies , bowel diseases and their healthcare.  Mr Scott also gave this years Bryan Brooke Lecture, titled Roadblocks and Assumptions as part of his role as President of the ACPGBI.

On the Sunday two more presentations were given. Sarah Hannam, Community Care Nurse, gave a 25 minute presentation on behalf of Salts Healthcare about Parastomal Hernias: A Survey of Experiences at 9.30am, followed at 9.55am by the Coloplast presentation, The Ostomy Skin Survey presented by companies ostomy care marketing manager, Natalie Lispcombe.

Also held throughout the weekend were a series of business meetings for IA representatives and various workshops. Catering and entertainment was also provided through the weekend, and the meetings appeared to have been a huge success. Photos of the event can be found below.

For more information on the Ileostomy Association, their events or their services please contact them via their website, or email: info@iasupport.org or over the phone on their freephone helpline 0800 0184 724

External Links: 
Ileostomy Association Website: http://www.iasupport.org

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It’s not the most frequently posted-to blog but it is quite a compulsive read. Tinylittlelifeform also has posted some wonderful ideas on ostomy fashion, along with photos of herself in her own creations. She’s very pretty, and her fashion design’s could not look any less like there was an Ileostomy pouch holder built into them!

Tinylittlelifeform’s blog contains an infectious amount of energy, and when you come away from it – as an ostomate – you feel invigorated and like you want to take on the world with her! Check it out, but be warned, the blog is loud and proud, and so some language contained within may offend! The title and sub-title says it all:

• Girly-Girl’s ileostomy Blog
• A no-nonsence explanation of life with an Ileostomy, as told by a foul-mouthed individual with no shame

LOL. Great title! Keep up the great work, Tinylittlelifeform! The ostomy world needs more proactive ostomate advocates like you showing how an ostomy can give you life, also how in most cases it doesnt take it away from you, unless you let it.

External Links: 
Girly-Girl’s Ileostomy Blog: http://girlgirlsileostomyblog.blogspot.co.uk/
- Her “More Bag Hiding Fashion for the Femininely Inclined” posting:
http://girlgirlsileostomyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/more-bag-hiding-fashion-for-femininely.html
 

Phoenix Cover Spring 2012 Edition

The March 2012 edition of the United Ostomy Association of America’s very own official ostomy magazine The Phoenix was mailed out to their subscribers on February 28th. However, copies are still available for those who have not yet acquired it.

At a whopping 72 pages, this is by far the largest of the ostomy groups & companies magazines that I’ve seen over the year. Being a British ostomate myself, and The Phoenix itself being a subscription-based magazine, it isn’t very often I get to see a copy of the magazine but when I do I am always very impressed by the quality of the presentation and the amount of useful information contained within it’s many articles.

The March 2012 (Vol 7 #2) edition of The Phoenix magazine has lots of interesting features crammed into it, including the following:

• Back in the Rink
  - Returning to the sport of Ice Hockey after colostomy surgery
• Peristomal Skin Lesions
  - Objectively classifying common skin problems
• Erectile Dysfunction
  - The physical and emotional causes following surgery
• Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence
  - Solid advice and concrete steps to keep cancer at bay
• Ostomates in Uniform
  - The history, policy and reality of ostomies and the military
• … and lots, lots more!

Annual subscriptions are $29.95 and include a free New Patient Guide as well as a free sample of Ostofresh deodorant. You can get your copy via the UOAA’s Phoenix website at: http://www.phoenixuoaa.org/

Digital back issues are also available from the same website at $4.95 – a 50% reduction on the cover price! Digital back editions are available for International download too, you don’t have to be located in America. Payments are taken via credit card, but please be aware that there’s no paypal option during the checkout procedure.

External Links & References:
The United Ostomy Association of America:
http://www.uoaa.org or http://www.ostomy.org 
The Phoenix Magazine Website:
http://www.phoenixuoaa.org/ 

The Phoenix Spring 2012 Cover Photo
© Liam Richards photography

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Ostomy Lifestyle is a UK based ostomy charity which offers support for all ostomates regardless of whichever stoma type you may have.

To vote for Sarah visit the Ostomy Lifestyle Awards Voting Page where you’ll have an opportunity to vote in the other categories too which include Support Group of the Year, Stoma Nurse of the Year, Industry Professional of the Year and more! (NB: You dont have to vote in each category, just skip to the next section if you dont want to place a vote in any area).

Sorry Fuzzbutt, but I’m afraid there’s no “cute fuzzy ostomy mascot of the year” category otherwise I’m sure you’d win!

External Links:
The Ostomy Lifestlye Awards Voting Page:
http://helenbracey.polldaddy.com/s/2012-ostomy-lifestyle-awards-voting
Ostomy Lifestyle Website:
http://www.ostomylifestyle.org
Colostomy Association Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/colostomyassociation2011/

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This is a stoma information day with a travel theme. Stoma care nurses will be in attendance to offer advice and answer any questions.

If you have concerns about travelling with an ostomy, or advice on how to manage your stoma in hotels, or how to obtain emergency products if yours get eaten by the airport baggage system, or indeed any travel issues you’d like advice on come and give them a visit. And of course if you’ve any non-travel related issues you’d like advice on then you can ask them too!

Everyone welcome, regardless of if you live in the Loughborough area or not, and refreshments will be available.

Venue: Loughborough Town Hall
Travel details to Loughborough Town Hall can be found at:

http://www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk/visit

Date: 31 May 2012
Arrival time: 10am
Start of meeting: 10.30am

If you would like further information about the event please contact Eva Heley, Product Specialist – Stoma, at CliniMed on 01628 850100. Or via mobile (07796 938443), fax (01628 527312) or email her direct at eva.heley@clinimed.co.uk.

Useful Pages: 
CliniMed‘s page on Ostomyland: http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers-clinimed-uk/
SecuriCare‘s page on Ostomyland:
Editorial #3: Create an Ostomy Reference Library Using Company Leaflets from SecuriCare:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/editorial-3-build-an-ostomy-reference-library-from-freebie-company-booklets/

External Links:
CliniMed Website: www.clinimed.co.uk
SecuriCare Website: www.secuircaremedical.co.uk

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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Canada. This is an annual campaign launched by the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) whose mission is to educate the public about the disease whilst providing support for both patients and families and to advocate for better access to treatment and screening policies for all.

You can find out more about the CCAC via their website or the awareness campaign website(s), all are listed below. And dont forget, you dont have to be Canadian to be raising your awareness of Colorectal Cancer. Expand your knowledge of the disease, and it’s symptoms by checking out some of the many Cancer websites available online so you know what symptoms to look for. For example, watery stools, pain or discomfort in the abdomen or whilst passing stool, and blood in the stool itself could be signs of  any number of conditions, but it could also be cancer. So, it’s best to get it checked out quickly if you are experiencing any of these symptoms or have concerns.

Ostomyland would like to wish the CCAC a very successful 2012 campaign. They are doing a fantastic job.

External Links: 
Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) website: http://www.colorectal-cancer.ca/
CC Awareness Month Websites: http://www.getyourbuttseen.ca/ & http://www.savebutts.ca/
Colorectal Cancer on Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorectal_cancer

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How the Digestive System Usually Works (Stoma Care for Health Care Assistants)

Editorial #3: Building an Ostomy Reference Library from Freebie Company Leaflets has just been published on Ostomyland. It is the third in our new Editorials feature. This time around its discussing the wealth of information found in company patient-support booklets, and specifically we’re looking at the SecuriCare booklets which are by far-and-away my favourite of all the companies various ranges of free literature. SecuriCare are a UK home delivery service which forms part of the CliniMed group of comapanies, along with Welland Medical.

The SecuriCare booklets go far beyond being just product advertising for their pouches and skin care accessories like most company leaflets do. Instead, their literature offers you a comprehensive library of information about your ostomy and caring for it. Regardless of if you are awaiting surgery, or been an ostomate for many years, there is still information contained in these which make them worthwhile keeping.

The company also offer a range of booklets for carers and health-care workers too, and whilst the information contained within is aimed more for the medical professional than the patient they are still worthwhile having on your bookcase or in your desk drawer as they also include indicators of what possible problems can arise with a stoma, along with symptoms and advice. This, to me, makes them an invaluable set of booklets for all self-caring ostomates and not just for those who receive external help with managing their stoma.

Hard copies of all the leaflets are available for free to our UK readers, and for our international readers SecuriCare have kindly allowed us to host PDF files for many of their booklets which are available for free and immediate download, and you don’t even have to give them your contact details! If the booklet you are interested in is not available on the page in PDF format, please keep checking back as we hope to get some more available in the near future.

You can find Editorial #3 here, and the full link is available below. You can read more on both SecuriCare and CliniMed on their respective pages on Ostomyland (also linked below) and our international readers can get details of which CliniMed products are available in their own country by visiting the Welland Medical website.

Useful Ostomyland Links: 
Editorial #3: Building an Ostomy Reference Library…..
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/editorial-3-build-an-ostomy-reference-library-from-freebie-company-booklets/
SecuriCare’s “Suppliers” page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/securicare-home-delivery-service/
CliniMed’s “Manufacturer” page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers-clinimed-uk/

External Links:
SecuriCare Website: http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk
CliniMed Website: http://www.clinimed.co.uk
Welland Medical Website: http://www.wellandmedical.com

I would like to thank SecuriCare Brand & PR Manager, Amanda Castle, for allowing us to host these download files for our International readers – not all companies would have allowed this – and also for her invaluable help and patience during the writing of this editorial.

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To visit the site please click the link below.

External Links:
The Stomawise website – http://www.stomawise.co.uk

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Taken from the Patient Choice website:

• Patient Choice Business is a new type of healthcare company; profits go to charity, and it only provides products and services that enhance [the] quality of life for patients.

• Patient Choice earns its income from the NHS through its appliance prescription service, Patient Choice Delivery. In addition we also supply natural rubber ostomy bags through Ward Surgical.

• The pharmaceutical industry has always attracted controversy, and with the supply of critical treatments and essential medical products providing unprecedented margins, it is often difficult to know who to trust.  All trading profits of Patient Choice Delivery go to funding projects to support patients in the UK and abroad.  To see some of our work please see the Patient Choice Foundation.

It certainly sounds a novel idea to us. There are so many medical services which have great ideas but end up sinking because of lack of money. And there are many Ostomates out there who are keen to give back to the medical community but maybe do not have the finances to allow a monetary donation, especially in this current era of austerity. Patient Choice brings those two areas together to the benefit of both.

It works by the Ostomate sending their NHS prescription to Patient Choice Delivery, who will dispatch them their prescription to the ostomates specific specifications,  but with one crucial difference – profits from the prescription are funnelled into the Patient Choice Foundation award fund, which in turn is then invested in deserving medical projects.

Its a win-win situation for all involved and helps UK ostomates contribute to charity without having to dig out their cheque books.

More information on the Patient Choice Foundation will be made available very soon when the individual services officially launch, but in the meantime you can learn a lot more about Patient Choice and their services via their website, linked below, and Patient Choice Delivery is available right now. They would also like to hear from any Ostomates who have suggestions for which projects should benefit from an award.

External Links:
Patient Choice Foundation:  http://www.patientchoiceuk.org/

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