Ostomy Awareness Day: Ostomies are Life-Savers

“Bottom line, I have my life back and I’m only looking forward.” – Josh Nelson

Ostomies are Life-Savers – and Coloplast is proud to be a part of helping spread the word on Saturday, October 5^th for Ostomy Awareness Day!

For many people, it’s not often that intimate things – like an ostomy – are discussed openly … but at Coloplast, our passion centers around hearing real-life stories from people with intimate healthcare needs. As we listen, we strive to uncover unmet needs and respond with innovative product solutions to make life easier for people living with an ostomy. We bring this passion to listen, respond, and make life easier to work every day – and we’re proud to stand with the ostomy community in raising awareness of the amazing resilience of people living with an ostomy.

Do you live in the Twin Cities? Lace up your shoes and join our team for the Virtual Run for Resilience!

You, your family, friends, and pets are invited to join Coloplast employees, ostomates in the area, and their families for a “virtual 5K” run/walk/roll along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, MN – starting at our US corporate office. Attendees should plan to arrive by 10:00 AM to gear up for the race. There will be groups of people both running and walking, so you can move at the pace at which you are most comfortable!

Before the run/walk/roll begins, we will have two guest speakers. Kiza Olson and Josh Nelson, who both have ostomies, will tell their stories, including how an ostomy was a lifesaver for them. Watch this short video from Josh* encouraging you to join us:

This event is open to anyone who wants to help support ostomy awareness. Looking for more information? Check out our Facebook event page. Feel free to join our team and sign up for the event at no cost on the Coloplast team page.

To help you prepare for the run/walk, brush up on some tips on sports and exercise with an ostomy on our Coloplast® Care site.

Don’t live in Minneapolis?

Visit the Coloplast booth at one of the 8 Run for Resilience events nationwide!

If you plan to participate at one of the run/walks held nationwide, make sure to stop by the Coloplast table and meet our local representative! We’ll be handing out free temporary tattoos so you can wear the “Ostomies Are Life-Savers” slogan proudly on your sleeve.

We’re proud to be a part of the effort to build awareness that ostomies are life-savers – and a key contributor to really feeling like you can “have your life back” is finding the right product fit. As bodies change over time – aging, gaining or losing weight, getting new scars or a hernia – it’s important to check that you still have the right fit. That’s why we developed BodyCheck: in 8 easy steps, this online tool will identify the best combination of product(s) to provide a secure fit to your individual body profile. At our booth, we’ll have information on using BodyCheck to ensure you still have a secure fit – and a free magnet reminding you to check your body as things change.

Take a selfie!

If you get the temporary tattoo or magnet –  we’d love to see how you display them! Snap a picture and share with us on social media with the hashtags #OstomyAwarenessDay #OstomiesAreLifeSavers  #RunforResilience

*Josh is a SenSura Mio user who has received compensation from Coloplast to provide this information. Each person’s situation is unique, so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this product is right for you.

Editor’s Note: this blog post was provided by Coloplast Corp, a Gold Sponsor of UOAA’s annual Run for Resilience Ostomy 5K events that benefit UOAA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization