Tag Archive for: OAD

6 Ways You (Yes, You) Can Make a Difference on Ostomy Awareness Day

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By Ed Pfueller, UOAA Communications and Outreach Manager

The ostomy community is a big group with diverse medical backgrounds, ages, and attitudes about living with an ostomy. One thing almost everyone can agree on is that ostomy and continent diversion surgery saves lives. We all hope for a day when no one who has an ostomy feels alone in life. Ostomy Awareness Day is Saturday, October 1, 2022 ­and however you are most comfortable participating – you can have an impact. Your voice matters and now is the time to use it or support others who do. 

If You’re Supportive but Busy

I had very little to go on, more to learn than I realized, and felt somewhat lost and well, scared. Discovering United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) when searching online for ostomy organizations and associations was a relief and godsend. -Myrna Pair

A couple of clicks is all it takes to put a smile on the face of a resilient ostomate or dedicated ostomy nurse. Check out the heartwarming stories of those on the Run for Resilience fundraising pages. Many of them still need a donation. The Ostomy 5k is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the programs and services offered by UOAA, a national 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. We have not met the Virtual Ostomy 5k fundraising goal of $25,000. Donating to UOAA, whenever you have the means, helps to sustain our small but powerful national ostomy organization’s work to improve the quality of life for people living with an ostomy, all year long.

If You’re Active on Social Media

Great, stop scrolling and go share your #OstomiesAreLifesavers story today! Even if you have never talked about it publicly before, consider letting your social networks know the things you have been able to do and witness in life after surgery. Help dispel stigmas and fear surrounding ostomy surgery, you never know which of your connections may have an ostomy or be faced with surgery someday. Post a photo, video or story and tag or DM @UOAA and use the hashtag #OstomiesAreLifesavers and #OstomyDay2022

Another quick and easy way to share your ostomy story is to complete the This or That Ostomy Edition, tag uoaa and post it to your stories.

If You’d Rather Work Behind the Scenes

You don’t have to post ostomy bikini pics to be an effective advocate. Anyone can call or send our action alerts to their elected officials. The U.S. Congress has designated official days for mountain biking and cowboys but not for Ostomy Awareness. This is because of a lack of congressional co-sponsors. Congressman Donald Payne (NJ) is introducing a Congressional House Resolution designating October 1, 2022 as National Ostomy Awareness Day and needs co-sponsors and/or support for this resolution. Contact your Congressperson and ask them to become a cosponsor, by contacting Shahryar M. Baig on his staff at shahryar.baig@mail.house.gov. You can take action here on all of our advocacy campaigns.

These @delta #flightattendants and #pilot were 100% on board to support #OstomyDay2022  – Peenelopie was very excited that the pilot got to hold her! (courtesy Stomagienics)

If You Just Want to Have Some Fun While Raising Awareness

Consider printing out our Ostomy Pouch Character name it, and take pics of it wherever you go Flat Stanley style; send us your pics or post on social media. To make it even easier use our Giphy stickers found here (or search @UOAA_Ostomy)

You can still register for an in-person Run for Resilience Event near you on Saturday (Birmingham is Oct. 8) and join what is often a party atmosphere of music, sponsor tables, food and games – in addition to walking/running. 

Also be sure to wear a stoma sticker from Hollister, the Exclusive Diamond Sponsor of UOAA’s Run for Resilience. Check out all the ways you can celebrate with Hollister.

If You Want to Get More Educated or Educate Others

If you want to get some WOC Nurse level information you’re in luck on October 1st. The WOCN Society is offering an education day event open to everyone free of charge.

For a more Ostomy 101 level of learning use our advocacy tools and infographics as a handout or post online. Feel free to use any of our materials on emotional support, ostomy myths, j-pouches or more.

The day after Ostomy Awareness Day you can also learn more about ostomies and mental health during a Facebook live event hosted by Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in partnership with UOAA. 

 If You Want to Keep the Awareness Going All Month/Year Long

Here at UOAA we work on National Advocacy all year long. Sign-up for our advocacy action alerts and Monthly E-Newsletter. There is power in numbers, become a national individual member and be counted as an official member of UOAA’s ostomy community. You’ll also get a membership and stoma pin and among other benefits.

New this year, Convatec is planning “Ostober” to focus on ostomy awareness all month long. They are the Platinum Sponsor of our Run for Resilience Ostomy 5k and we’re thrilled to see them keeping the spirit alive all month long.

 

 

Visit our Ostomy Awareness Day landing page for more information this special day. Whatever you choose to do please let us know! If you have pictures, proclamations or stories to share send them to us at info@ostomy.org and don’t forget #OstomiesAreLifesavers

 

Ostomy Awareness Day 2019 Highlights

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“Funny how most people think an ostomy is the worst thing that could happen and I only see it as something that saved my life in so very many ways.”  Jeanne D. 

By Jeanine Gleba, Advocacy Manager

It’s such a simple truth – ostomies are life savers and yet, we continue to hear “I would rather die, then have an ostomy.”  That is why this year UOAA introduced the campaign “Operation Ostomy – A Life Saver”. Specifically, for Ostomy Awareness Day (OAD) held on October 5, 2019 the theme this year was fittingly “Ostomies Are Life-Savers”. It’s been exciting to see so many people embrace this theme from making custom life preservers to buying logo t-shirts for their entire families, to using #MyOstomyMyLifesaver to share their personal stories on social media, and educating others with this year’s infographic.

From Left, Gina Day, CWOCN and founder of the Ostomy Support Group of the Poconos and Advocacy Manager Jeanine Gleba pose with this year’s infographic banner at the East Stroudsburg, PA Run for Resilience on Ostomy Awareness Day.

For the second year in a row, our legislative champion was NJ Congressman Donald Payne as he introduced House Resolution 601 designating October 5th as National Ostomy Awareness Day. Furthermore, UOAA was honored to work with this year’s Ostomy Champion Grammy-Award winning recording artist Damon Little who has sung his way into our hearts by inviting all to celebrate and raise ostomy awareness in a video message.

UOAA had new ways to get involved with this special day including producing a new infographic that is available to download and print all year long at www.ostomy.org/ostomy-awareness-day/.   

This year for the first time the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recognized Ostomy Awareness Day in both their Medicare Learning Network and supplier newsletters. Also exciting was to have the support of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) as they had a schedule of social media posts such as this one:

In addition, in 2019 we invited other organizations to collaborate with UOAA and had the privilege to raise ostomy awareness and engage the ostomy community during special events with these partners.  In case you missed the events, we are pleased to inform you that you can still tune into them virtually:

  • UOAA co-hosted with the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) and Therezia Alchoufete, MS, RD, LDN to bring you a Twitter Chat on Nutritional Support for People Living with an Ostomy.  If you missed the live chat, you can read it all here.
  • UOAA partnered with the WOCN Society to promote and celebrate ostomy awareness day. Listen to UOAA Advocacy Chair Joanna Burgess-Stocks talk all things advocacy, ostomy awareness and so much more in this special WOCTalk podcast episode! 
  • UOAA had the pleasure of working with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation to bring you a very special Facebook Live event with Double Baggin’ It. You can still watch it and learn so much from this inspiring duo and their healthy perspectives of having ostomy surgery!

Each year we expand our outreach with this annual event and here are a few statistics from 2019 activities:

  • Our Advocacy Network contacted legislators in 24 states requesting proclamations for Ostomy Awareness Day. The following proclamations were passed in these 11 places

            * State of California           * State of Colorado           * State of Connecticut

            * State of Massachusetts  * State of Missouri           * State of New Jersey       

            * State of Ohio                    * State of Pennsylvania   * State of South Carolina  

            * Frederick City, MD           * Kennebunk, ME

• 139,442 impressions from the Twitter Chat with a reach of 22,830.

• Over 200 personal #MyOstomyMyLifesaver stories shared on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

• Over 900 people took part in eight Run for Resilience Ostomy 5k event locations and a Worldwide Virtual 5k. 125 volunteered to make these ostomy awareness events a huge success.

UOAA is most grateful to all in the ostomy community who partnered with us or promoted OAD in their corner of the United States.

We hope you’ll join us next year when the big day will be Saturday, October 3, 2020. It will be the 10th anniversary of celebrating National Ostomy Awareness Day!  So get ready for an even bigger celebration.

Although Ostomy Awareness Day has come and gone, its impact will continue to spread across the country with each and every one of us.  Look for more from UOAA for our new “Operation Ostomy – A Life-Saver” campaign to stop stigma and save more lives.

Tag Archive for: OAD

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