Imagine if everyone dealing with the emotions and physical changes of ostomy surgery could see a friendly face before them in their hospital room? Someone who knows what they are going through from their own experience and can tell them things will be alright – that they too can thrive in life with an ostomy. Someone who can listen to their feelings and make them feel less alone in those vulnerable first days.
UOAA’s Ostomy Patient Visiting Program is one of our most important services we provide through our Affiliated Support Groups (ASG)
.
This program offers person-to-person support, reassurance and practical information to those who have or will have ostomy related surgery and their caregivers. Ostomy visitors who have completed UOAA’s Certified Visitors Training Course through their ASG will have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities, and will strive to be a central member of the ostomy patient’s rehabilitation team (includes the surgeon, WOC nurse, hospital floor nurse and ostomy visitor).
ASG Leader, Gina
Tim Slutter,
Certified Ostomy Visitor
“It really takes another ostomate to help
reassure new ostomates they are not alone
and there are many others out there living a
normal life. I hear time and time again how
important this program is in making patients
comfortable having an ostomy.”
Judith Zucker, Ostomate
“My ostomy visitor explained everything, with no
embarrassment, no shame, and with a sense of
pride and relief. She was a role model for me,
assuring me I would have a normal painless life ahead.”
Your gift will enable UOAA to continue to provide services, such as our Ostomy Patient Visiting Program, to the ostomy community.
One of our goals is to update the certification course training manual and instructional video, which are critical to its success. With the estimated 100,000 ostomy surgeries performed annually, it is vital for ASGs to have access to an up-to-date course to teach key skills to those who would like to become certified ostomy visitors.
