When I was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer, which resulted in me having 2 major surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy over the course of 18 months.

I was only 30 years old, slim, a non smoker, healthy eater so being diagnosed with bowel cancer was a complete shock. What was even harder to get my head around was being told that I would also need to have a permanent colostomy. Going through stoma surgery was very difficult for me both physically and emotionally and I struggled to deal with this new pink, little mound that was now sewn to my stomach. There was very little information given by my hospital.

The first time I saw a colostomy bag, I was horrified! I am quite short in size and these bags were huge and hung down to my knees. I didn’t know how I was going to adapt as I had no idea that these bags came in all shapes and sizes to suit. Until I undertook my own research, I was unaware that I was able to change my service provider and products to suit my own needs. The more research that I did on what was available to me, the more my confidence grew and the easier I found living life with my little stoma friend.

During my cancer journey, I wrote a blog that detailed the realities of undergoing cancer treatment including living with a stoma. After seeing my blog, the newly reformed Bladder and Bowel Community contacted me and asked me to work alongside them to help build up a new online information and community site to replace the old Bladder and Bowel Foundation.

I had already worked in marketing for around 10 years, so it was great to be able to use both my trade skills and my personal experiences to help others going through a similar situation. I was tasked with working with Simon to help build a safe, online community space where those living with a bladder or bowel condition could freely talk to others or seek advice without embarrassment or judgement. The group grew beyond our expectations and very quickly, we had several thousand members interacting and asking each other questions. This was when we realised what a powerful and invaluable resource and the group became a lifeline to many people.

We noticed that a big topic was people searching for advice and information on what products were available to them and how effective they were. Finding out real life experiences was very important to them. Myself and Simon often discussed what little information was out there for people with bladder and bowel conditions and this is how the idea for the Healthcare Delivery Review site was born.

We wanted to provide a space where ostomates and appliance users could leave reviews about their delivery service providers, and in turn give fellow patients an informed choice about levels of service and the choice of products available. With Simon’s digital expertise and my personal insights, we have been able to build a one-stop platform where you can find honest information on all the major healthcare delivery providers.

Our aim is to give our community a voice, and with your help educate that you do have a choice and that you don’t have to ‘put up’ with something that doesn’t work for you.

It’s so easy to do, all you need to do is fill in a review form…