
Photo by Ari Summerfield
Who We Are
We are a non-profit, volunteer group that supports, empowers, and advocates for people who have had or will have ostomy or continent diversion surgery.
Each month, we meet to discuss living and thriving with an ostomy in a confidential, warm environment where you can just listen, ask questions, or share your experiences with others who can relate, and reassure you that you are not alone in this journey. We try to have a WOCN on hand to offer a medical-based opinion when needed. If you are a new ostomate, are considering surgery, are a long-time ostomate, or are caring for someone with an ostomy, we welcome you to join and share, or just listen and learn. If you are struggling with acceptance, please know you are not alone.
There are no dues to join our group, but we gladly accept donations (see below). We also accept ostomy supply donations which are donated to Friends of Ostomates Worldwide. You can bring supply donations to a meeting or to the Byram Healthcare building (see address below) Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Meetings/Events:
Click here to see a detailed list of our upcoming meetings/events: Upcoming Events – Ostomy Support Group of DuPage County
Meetings: We meet the 4th Wednesday of each month at 6 pm Central time (except for December, when we have a holiday party on a different day, and sometimes we skip our November meeting due to Thanksgiving).
We meet at the Byram Healthcare Building:
3010 Woodcreek Drive, Suite A
Downers Grove, IL 60515 (see map)
We also simulcast via Zoom (the link is posted in our monthly newsletter and on our Facebook page).
Annual Run for Resilience Ostomy 5k: Since 2018, we have hosted this 5k fundraiser. In 2024, our run/walk became an official UOAA race site. The event not only raises funds for the UOAA, but it brings our ostomy community together for a fun, social, and healthy morning!

Photo by Ari Summerfield
Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter, The Newsleak, is emailed out for free. It includes information about our next meeting, inspiring and educational articles, and resources. If you would like to receive our newsletter, please email Barbara Tischler at owner@thecluttercoach.com.
Contacts
Bret Cromer, President and 5k Co-Race Director
630-479-3101 (cell)
bret.cromer@gmail.com
Barbara Tischler, Treasurer, Email Administrator, Facebook Page Administrator, and 5k Co-Race Director
630-221-0014 (landline)
owner@thecluttercoach.com
Support Group Email: dupageostomy@gmail.com
Social Media:
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OstomySupportGroupofDuPageCounty
Donations
We raise funds every year to pay for the expenses for at least one camper to attend Youth Rally; to make monetary contributions to Friends of Ostomates Worldwide, Kindred Box, and the Certified Ostomy Care Nurse Scholarship Fund; to pay our annual UOAA membership fee; to cover some of our 5k expenses; and to pay for other miscellaneous expenses.
We accept these methods of payment at meetings/events, by mail, and via electronic methods. Contact Barbara Tischler at owner@thecluttercoach.com for the address to mail checks.
We also receive a portion of the proceeds from sales of these fun, ostomy pride buttons.
Contact Us

United Ostomy Associations of America
P.O. Box 2293
Biddeford, ME 04005-2293
Call us toll-free at: 1-800-826-0826.
Our Information Line hours are Monday-Friday, 9am to 3pm EST. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 or contact your local medical professional.
Please understand that UOAA is a private, nonprofit, advocacy and informational organization. We are not a medical facility and we do not have medical or legal professionals on staff. Therefore, UOAA does not provide Medical, Mental Health, Insurance or Legal Advice. Visit UOAA Virtual Ostomy Clinic provided by The Wound Company for non-emergency, virtual ostomy support.
Get Involved
UOAA is the leading organization proactively advocating on behalf of the ostomy community. Recognizing that we are always stronger together, we encourage everyone to get involved by joining our Advocacy Network. We’ve also created several Advocacy Tools and Resources to help you successfully advocate on behalf of the ostomy community to ensure every ostomate receives quality care.


