Back in 1991, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I was only 10 years old then, and by the following year, my colon was very bad so I had surgery to remove it. I had my first ileostomy bag for 7 months during grade 6. That was a very difficult time in my life because I was not only trying to hide my ostomy at school, but my dysfunctional parents were part of a religious cult that didn't allow me to partake in certain medical interventions. As a result, I came very close to death when I had my colectomy. I had a reversal for many years, (ileoanal pull-through surgery, later revised to a j-pouch), but required a permanent ileostomy in 2011. I also developed Multiple Sclerosis during my late 20's.

My pediatric ostomy experience and the aftermath that followed lead to decades of trauma, shame and self-hatred. That made it very difficult to accept my permanent ostomy bag as an adult. If I had been part of the Ostomy Youth Camp I believe my mental health issues could have been addressed much sooner. That is only one example of the importance of Ostomy Canada.

I want to see this non-profit continue to grow, and am committed to fulfilling that goal. You can support me in my volunteer efforts by donating to Step Up For Ostomy.

You can join Calgary Ostomy on September 25 for our Step Up or Ostomy fundraising event, which includes an awareness walk and BBQ! Help us get our voices heard!