Several weeks ago a story was circulating on social media and the news about a young British woman who posted pictures of herself in a bikini and ostomy bags. Bethany Townsend is a model who has had Crohn's Disease almost her entire life. She has suffered through medications, surgeries and a feeding tube. In 2010, her bowel ruptured leaving her with 2 ostomies. While on holiday, pictures were taken of her in a bikini with her ostomies showing which she published on Facebook and things went viral from there.
Part of me wants to applaud her for not feeling ashamed of her Ostomies and showing off her fantastic body. However a larger part of me is frustrated with the stigma that comes with having an Ostomy. Why is it looked at differently than say a prosthetic leg, orthodontic braces or oxygen tubing? The majority of Ostomates didn't wake up one day saying "Hmm I am going to go buy an ostomy today" but rather woke up in a surgical recovery room or ICU after surgery for disease, cancer or trauma with the Doctor saying.."I saved what I could and had to create an ostomy". There are also the few that make the decision to have ostomy surgery due to cancer or illness to get them on the road to recovery.
Considering I am twice her age, have had 3 children and multiple scars I choose not to wear a bikini like Bethany does. In one of her interviews she mentioned that since her pictures have gone viral, a lot of people in the US have been posting pictures of themselves with their ostomies. I completely disagree with her statement, there is a public and private Ostomy forums I am on where other ostomates have been posting pictures of themselves in their bathing suits for a long time when they are on the beach, at a pool or in the privacy of their bathrooms. There are also public support groups such as the Great Bowel Movement http://thegreatbowelmovement.org/ and Awestomy of Facebook https://www.facebook.com/awestomy?fref=photo where Ostomates relish in their health and their bodies no matter if they are young, old, thin, heavy, in-shape or not.
Whether or not she posted the pictures to further her career or for friends and family, she did raise positive awareness for those of us with an Ostomy. So I challenge you to this..if you ever see someone on the beach or at the pool with their pouch hanging out, don't stop and stare but congratulate them on still being here...most likely, they would not be here to LIVE, LOVE or LAUGH without it!
