I’m very pleased to announce that our certification has been once again confirmed and renewed for a TWO year period – which I’m taking a sign that were doing something right. This will be our fourth and fifth year on the HON code register. Time does fly quickly these days.

Whilst the HONcode does not really bring us any readers/members of any noticeable numbers, I do nevertheless feel it is important to keep the certification as its a stamp of approval from an independent medically-based body that our information, advice and interactive services are professional, accurately presented and meeting a high level of medical and personal responsibility (i.e. we’re not in this to show off at what we think we know but that we genuinely *want* to help, and in a caring and medically sound way.

Our HON Code certificate can be viewed here, and the HON Code badge is displayed in the footer of every page on Ostomyland.com.

So my thanks goes out to the whole community, to Sarah and especially Kathy for all your combined hard work and commitment to Ostomyland as a whole – this achievement is as much yours and the community’s as it is mine.

Thanks folks. Have a good weekend. I hope you’re all keeping well or as well as can be.

External Links
The Health On the Net Foundation website: http://www.healthonnet.org
The HON Code Principles:  http://www.healthonnet.org/HONcode/Patients/Conduct.html
Ostomyland’s HON Code Certificate Page: https://www.healthonnet.org/HONcode/Conduct.html?HONConduct533886

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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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The group is being co-ordinated by Alison Louise Hamilton aka Allyxx and she can be contacted via her Facebook page for further information.

As far as Ostomyland is aware you do not have to be a Merseysider to join the group so why not check it out regardless! We’ll see you there too as we’re members!

And, why you’re at it, why not visit the Ostomyland Facebook Group too where recent conversations have included the possibility of doing sit-ups post-op, and a fantasy conversation on what you would have tattoo’d around your stoma if it were possible (we dont advise you do do that though! lol).

External Links: 
Ostomistics St Helens Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/439124346102864/
Ostomyland Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834289395/

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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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In the past we’ve had a diet club here on Oland which was rather popular at the time, and so I’m pleased to announce that I’ve decided to relaunch that forum so we can all club together and give each other the morale support needed to shed those pounds. Then we can celebrate together in our success, or commiserate together when we gain a bit, and own up with shame when we’ve had some chocolate and have a guilty conscience for the rest of the week!

Everyone is welcome to join in with the club discussion¹. No diet plan or exercise plan is supplied, but no doubt ppl will discuss theirs so you could pick up a few tips, or you can ask about peoples plans to gain them too². Its amazing how much difference having some people joining in with you can make to a diet. A spirit of camaraderie and almost competition is created, and it can really help make a difference for some people. And here you’ll also have the advantage that your diet pals are other ostomates and so can offer you advice from their own ostomates perspective – something very few other diet clubs could do.

You’ll find the Ostomyland forum over on the community message board – or this link below will take you directly to the new diet club forum there:

http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/
forum/195-ostomyland-post-christmas-diet-club/

1. A free members account is required to access the forums. Register here.
2. You should always consult your GP/Doctor before starting any diet regime and you partake at your own risk, as the diet forum is covered by the usual O’land medical disclaimer and forums TandC‘s.

Useful Links:
Ostomyland Community Support Board:
http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/
Ostomyland Post-Xmas Diet Club Forum:
http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/
forum/195-ostomyland-post-christmas-diet-club/

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The first article is by O’land community member Andypig who has written about his experiences with FAP - Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. You can find Andy’s article under the sidebar menu’s Member Written Article heading, or directly via this link.

If you think you have an article which would be useful on the Ostomyland website then please do get in touch with us. You need to be a member of our community forums to be considered for the section, so feel free to register for a free account if you havent already done so.

We hope you enjoy reading Andy’s story, and we look forward to hopefully featuring your submission on the site soon!

Useful Links:
FAP – An Owners Guide - http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/fap-familiar-adenomatous-polyposis/

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We cannot thank the CA Trustees enough for the warm welcome they gave us to the event, and how they made us feel just as important as the huge companies. So, thanks CA, we really appreciate it!

External Links:
Colostomy Association (UK): http://www.colostomyassociation.org.uk/

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Ostomyland will be there as we have an exhibit table booked. This will be our second year at the CA Open Day and like last year we are looking forward to meeting many people, and hopefully spreading the word about Ostomyland a bit more around the patient community and manufacturers, and of course, offering advice and support to anyone whom requests it.

If you are at the open day please do pop by and say hi. Oland community moderator Sarah will be there, and hopefully senior admin Kathy will be around too. The open day starts at 9am and closes at 3pm. There are various speakers lined up for the day. The event is being held at Weetwood Hall, Leeds LS16. For full details please see the colostomy association website.

External Links:
Colostomy Association Website: http://www.colostomyassociation.org.uk

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On behalf of all the team members whom volunteer their time to help keep the website & community running smoothly, I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our visitors over the last 13 and a half years, or 5000 days. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and personally I am very curious as to what the next 5000 days will have in store for us. One thing is for sure, it wouldnt be the same with you, our visitors and members.

If you have any comments about how Oland has helped you over the last 15 years, then we’d love to hear them. A forum has been created on the message board especially for those such posts, and you’ll find it here:
http://bit.ly/opR4o7
(Member account required, you can sign up for one here.)

Finally, we’ve got a present for everyone too – An Oland 5000th day celebratory wallpaper, and a windows screensaver too.

Thank you!

Jason
Owner/Webmaster
ostomyland.com

In short, as we no longer use IRC as our chat room format it means people can no longer access the room via mIRC or the previous Java-based chat applets either on this site, or on the forums.

The new system is written by Invision Power, whose software we use for our message board forums. This means that the chat room integrates seamlessly into the community forums, giving members easier accesss to the chat room, and a speedier connection along with a nicer user interface.

To access the new Ostomyland chat room, please visit our community forums, and click on the CHAT ROOM tab. (Member account required, and you must be logged in to that account to access the chat room.)
Direct Chat Room Link: http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/chat/

We hope you enjoy using our new chat room and find it easier and speedier to use. Your comments on the chat room are always welcomed either via this post, or they can left on the various IPchat changeover announcements and tech help topics on the forums.

We look forward to chatting to you!

Useful links:
Community Message Board Forums: http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/
Register for the Community M.B. Forums: http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?app=core&module=global&section=register

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