About us
Who we are
Colostomy UK is a national charity that offers support and advice to people who are going to have, or have had stoma surgery of any kind (ostomates) and to their friends, families and carers. We work very closely with healthcare professionals. We offer for free a number of support services: Stoma Helpline, Live Chat, Befriending, Facebook Support group, Support Magazine and an extensive range of literature.
Our projects empower ostomates to return to sports, hobbies and other activities after their surgery and give them the confidence to take on fresh challenges. We also advocate for ostomates’ rights and are their voice on the bigger issues. Our campaigns raise awareness of ‘life with a stoma’ and encourage organisations to make their facilities more inclusive, through their infrastruce and behaviour.
We have 100 volunteers who support people with stomas, and their families, carers and friends in many ways. They represent Colostomy UK at open days and events, they answer calls on our 24-hour stoma helpline, support our befriending service, are our trustees, help out in the office and manage our Facebook support group. They act as consultants on the literature that we write and sit on the editorial board for Tidings. Volunteers can also get involved in fundraising and campaigning, working in their local community to influence change, for example stoma-friendly toilets . The skills, experience, time and energy they bring to our charity, make a difference to the lives of people in need.