UOAA’S LATEST NEWS

The Voices of People Living with an Ostomy Were Heard on Capitol Hill

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UOAA Advocacy Event Precedes Introduction of 'Access to Medical Supplies Act' Bill By Jeanine Gleba, UOAA Director of Advocacy UOAA recently rallied advocates in our Advocacy Network to participate in a virtual Ostomy Hill Day to educate…

KENTUCKY NURSE TO BECOME AN OSTOMY RESOURCE FOR HER RURAL COMMUNITY

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UOAA is excited to announce that the 2026 recipient of the Educational Award for Ostomy Nurse Certification is Heather Franklin from Kentucky! Read more about Heather and her motivation to become a certified ostomy nurse. I am incredibly…

The Reality of Life with an Ostomy: 9 Ostomates Share Insights, Victories, and Advice

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Edited by Cecelia Bialas* October is Ostomy Awareness Month, a time to share our unique stories, take comfort in the more common parts of ostomy life — the triumphs, challenges, and stoma noises along the way — and provide encouragement…
Ostomy Awareness Day logo

A Community of Ostomy Awareness

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Ostomy Awareness Day and the Run for Resilience Ostomy 5k provide a chance for the community to come together. We are one community that is stronger when working together to educate the public on life-changing and often life-saving ostomy and continent diversion surgeries. Join with UOAA and make a difference on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in celebration of Ostomy Awareness Day.

A Grandmother’s Found Story. Personal Impressions of a New Way of Life

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Editor’s note- In 1972 Mildred Brett wrote these personal reflections on life with an ostomy after having surgery in 1970 while in her mid-50’s. Her granddaughter Lisa recently discovered these remarkable writings and wanted to share them…

The Adventure of a Lifetime: Lessons from Cycling Across Europe After Ostomy Surgery

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The bike ride is only one part of this journey. Since surgery, I've learned more than I ever expected about living with an ostomy. Today, I'm partnering with Coloplast to answer a few questions about life with an ostomy and share some of the lessons I've picked up along the way.

Using the Power of UOAA’s Ostomy and Continent Diversion Patient Bill of Rights

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A WOC Nurse Team's Journey to Expand and Improve Ostomy Care By Joanna Burgess-Stocks, BSN, RN, CWOCN, UOAA Advocacy Committee Co-Chair When organizational changes threatened access to specialized outpatient ostomy care, a team of certified…

My Appendix Cancer and Ostomy Story

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Chances of survival from a rare cancer did not look good but that changed thanks to a complex surgery and ostomy, recovery came next. By Donna Sklener “Mother of All Surgeries” is the nickname given to the treatment for certain types…

Why does my ostomy pouch keep leaking?

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If you've ever woken up at 2 a.m. to wet sheets, or lifted your shirt to confirm what you suspected, you know: an ostomy leak is rarely just a practical problem. There's the mess and inconvenience, yes, but there's also the emotional weight.…

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