Stephanie Marie’s Story

  I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 10. I’m now 38 years old and living with an ileostomy. I tried all the crohns meds over the years, but 3 years ago I had a horrible flare up that ended in an emergency total colectomy. I struggled a lot the first year with…

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Edit’s Story

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of twenty. My symptoms started with the constant bowel movements, at some point almost twenty a day, and a rapid twenty-pound weight loss. The doctor informed me that my case was one of the worst and most advanced he has seen. I had been using medication…

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Paty’s Story

  My Name is Paty Jiménez I am from México and am survivor of 3 stage rectal cancer I have a permanent colostomy bag. I was diagnosed 15 years ago when I was 36 years old. At first everything was chaos, but little by little was accommodating my new ostomy life. I recently found out…

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Luciana’s Story

I WILL TELL YOU what my ostomy means to me: freedom and no fear!   I’ve never thought that an ostomy would give me freedom. Four years ago, when I became an ostomate I first thought that my life would end and many other  possibilities in life would not exist anymore. I was wrong. I had…

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Virgie’s Story

Hi friends! I am a 62 year old female. I have had my ileostomy since I was 18 due to severe ulcerative colitis. I have had many ups and downs through the years, but I am happy to say no problems with my Ostomy! I have had to change appliances and wafers over the years…

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Franco’s Story

My story started in May 2012 when my family Dr. retired and my wife found a new Dr. We had a visit with her and because my son was getting married that week in the USA, we asked if we could postpone the visit. After the wedding, we went to see her and she ordered…

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Lauren’s Story

My name is Lauren and I’m 28. I’ve been an ostomate now for 6 and half years. I have my ileostomy due to Hirschsprung’s disease, mega colon, whole gut slow transit and colonic inertia. After nearly losing my life several times due to my invisible illnesses I’ve become extremely proud of myself.  I’ve moved countries and…

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Ashley’s Story

I started having symptoms when I was 17. Then I was diagnosed with Crohn’s when I was 18. I tried every medication out there and tried so hard to live a life. It got so bad and so hard, and when I was 25 I had my entire large intestines removed and have had my…

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Dennis’s Story

My doctor told me that I would have reversal surgery and iliostomy would come off in a few years. It’s been 42 years and I still have it. Because of inflammation and colitis flare ups I was never able to get reversed. Most of the time I forget I have it. It’s become part of…

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Brendan’s Story

In December 2012, I had major cancer surgery for colorectal cancer. I was given a temporary ileostomy for a 4 month period. In April this was removed and I was placed back in so-called normal bowel operational mode and the pouch removed. It was then my real nightmare began. I was very fortunate that I…

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