IA Together

Do you have an internal pouch, are you living with a pouch a**l or a pouch vaginal fistula? Would you be willing to participate in research?

This is an opportunity for you to take part in a research study, which aims to understand how living with a pouch a**l or vaginal fistula (PAVF-QOL) affects your quality of life.

It is vital that we understand how this condition and its treatments affect patients in their daily lives. A better understanding will help us to improve the management of these complex conditions.

If you would like to take part or have any questions about the study, please email Liullian Reza at '[email protected]' at St.Mark's Hospital.

IA’s Internal Pouch Pals zoom evening will be held online on Wednesday July 17th from 7.30 – 9.00. IA Stoma Care Nurse Liaison Carol Katté will join us which will be a great opportunity to ask Carol any internal pouch-related questions.

Please click here to register. https://bit.ly/3W306tZ

IA’s Pouch Information Day 2024 was a huge success!

Carol Katté, IA’s Stoma Nurse Liaison, organised an outstanding line-up of expert speakers for attendees. It was a fantastic day for people with an internal pouch to meet, share experiences, and exchange tips. Attendees benefitted greatly from engaging with medical experts in person and found the event both informative and helpful.

We are working on sharing the presentations which will be available in due course.

Don’t take our word for it, here’s a few things some of our attendees had to say...

Our lovely volunteers Brigitte and Wendy have had a great first day chatting with the medical experts at the annual ACPGBI (Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland) conference, which is being held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. The conference is running until Wednesday.

3 weeks to go!

It will not be long until the event of the year.

IA Information Day takes place on Saturday 20th April, at Hilton London Heathrow Terminal 5.

With presentations including ‘Cell therapy, looking beyond drugs to treat inflammatory bowel disease’, ‘Patient experience of pre-operative stoma education – a qualitative research study’, ‘Kidney protection for people with ileostomies and pouches’ and more topics, there will be something of interest for everyone.

The day promises to be an informative event. There will be opportunities to meet fellow ostomates and pouchies, and you can share your experiences with others who ‘get it’.

Join us in the evening for a gala dinner and entertainment from the Abba Queen Tribute Group ‘Take A Chance On Queen’.

This is a day you will not want to miss.
Click here to book your place: https://iasupport.org/infoday24/

The Stoma Care Nursing Team from Royal United Hospital Bath are starting Monthly Swimming Sessions for local ostomy patients at Evercreech, Shepton Mallet, BA4 6QW, on Wednesday 24th April.

The times are as follows:
Females 11.00am – 11.30am
Males 11.30am – 12.00pm

Please note that places are limited to eight people per session, so book now to reserve your spot.

Call 01225 824056 or email
[email protected].

We are thrilled to announce that IA National President, Professor Gordon Carlson CBE BSc (Hons), MB ChB (Hons), MD, FRCS, FRCS(Gen), FRCSEd (Ad Hom), will once again kick off our IA Information Day. This event takes place on Saturday 20th April at Hilton London Heathrow, Terminal 5.

Professor Carlson is internationally renowned for his pioneering work in the management of abdominal sepsis and intestinal failure, and we are honoured to have him represent our charity.

Book your place here: https://iasupport.org/infoday24

We are looking forward to Ileostomy Awareness Month in April.

The month aims to raise awareness about life with an ileostomy or an internal pouch.

You can help us by taking part in The Big Bake, raising awareness and raising funds to help those who need support.

There are no rules.

You can bake anything you like, sweet or savoury!

Simply print off our poster, add your details, invite your friends and family for a cuppa and something to eat. https://iasupport.org/iabigbake

We have a JustGiving page, or you can make a donation if you have raised funds offline.

For more information, or to print off the poster, visit our website. If you have any queries, comment below or email [email protected].

IA Information Day is just five weeks away, and we can't wait to welcome you to our annual event. https://iasupport.org/infoday24

Hear from the experts on topics such as 'Working life with a chronic condition', ' The gut barrier in health and illness', 'Healthy living without a colon', and many more interesting subjects.

There is something for everyone. Families and carers are also welcome. 💙

Reserve your place today: https://iasupport.org/infoday24

We are calling all members in West London!

We are progressing plans to relaunch our Greater London West IA group and need your help to make it happen. Do you know of a great venue where we could hold a meeting? We are also looking for interesting guests we could invite to talk at our events. If you or anyone you know would fit the bill, please share with us below.

We look forward to welcoming any ideas you have so we can have a thriving group again.

We are calling all members in West London! We are progressing plans to relaunch our Greater London West IA group and need your help to make it happen. Do you know of a great venue where we could hold a meeting?

We are also looking for interesting guests we could invite to talk at our events, so if you or anyone you know would fit the bill, please share with us below.

We look forward to welcoming any ideas you have so we can have a thriving group again.

We are excited to announce that IA Consultant Dietitian Sophie Medlin is joining us at IA Information Day, which takes place on Saturday April 20th. Sophie will share her knowledge about the importance of healthy eating with a stoma or internal pouch, and the types of foods it is safe to consume.

Sophie is well-recognised in her field and is the Chair of the British Dietetic Association for London. She specialises in Disordered Eating, Colorectal Diseases and Disorders.

If you attended our Information Day in 2023, you will know Sophie is an expert in her field and highly approachable.

Book your tickets here: https://iasupport.org/infoday24/

We are so flipping happy it’s Pancake Day (sorry!). Can you eat pancakes without any issues, or do you use substitutes instead? Share your tips below 😋

The last date to get your applications in for the London Landmarks Half Marathon is one week today, 14th February.

Six people have already signed up and we only have four spaces left. The event takes place on Sunday 7th April 2024.

🏃‍♀️You do not need to be a runner to take part. Walking around the course and taking in the spectacular London sights is fine too.
🏃 IA will be at the event, cheering you on and supporting you.
🏃‍♀️ Participants will receive a top-quality IA running vest.
🏃Any money raised will go to supporting those who need it, but there is no minimum amount to raise.

We want to increase awareness of Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Association. If you have any questions, please comment below, DM us or email us.

We are here to support you. 💙

IA has secured sponsored spaces for the much-anticipated London Landmarks Half Marathon next April. 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️

Are you looking for your next challenge? Do you want the opportunity to make a difference whilst doing so?

We have lots to offer our runners with plans released very soon, so watch this space!

Whether you run, walk or a mixture of both, email [email protected] to express your interest.

Did you know that our PR & Communications Manager sits on the Board of the European Ostomy Association (EOA) – www.ostomyeurope.org?

This weekend, Caroline attended the annual meeting held in Lyon, where discussions were had on how the national associations support ostomates in their own countries across Europe and Africa.

In particular, discussions were held around the different approaches to whether ostomates are deemed as being ‘disabled’ or not and their entitlements.

Are you someone who listens to others and can offer them encouragement at a difficult time? Could you help someone to see their way forward and help them to understand more about what they are going through? Are you a member of IA, have completed your surgery and are now living with an ileostomy or an internal pouch for at least 12 months?

If you are, or think you can be, as we provide full training, could you be one of our amazing team of One2One support volunteers who listen and support others who are going, or have been, through surgery?

We’ve recently released new dates for our ‘Effective Communication Skills’ course and are looking for people to undergo training to expand our team of volunteers. Our training is split into a number of instructor-led modules which are offered remotely providing a mix of theory and practical based learning to help develop your listening and communication skills to become a One2One support volunteer.

If this sounds like something you could do and want to give something back to help others, please copy and paste this link in your browser for more information. :>> https://iasupport.org/sept23_training.

The Kangaroo Club are holding their 2023 Information Day on Saturday 16th September.

Click here for more information about the day: https://bit.ly/47CNj5t

North of Scotland IA will hold a Stoma Information Day on Saturday 26th August. Attendees will have the opportunity to chat with stoma care nurses, dieticians, continence nurses, product reps and underwear companies. There will also be the chance to meet other IA members and have a chance to try chair yoga with Maria Jones, a chair yoga teacher.

The event will be taking place at Aberdeen Curl. There is plenty of free on-site parking; it is easily accessible from the AWPR, and there is a regular bus service from the city centre.

For more information, please visit our website: https://nscotland.iasupport.org/event/stoma-information-day/

IA Together is part of Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association. It is designed to help those with an ostomy or a pouch meet up and get together. It can be anything from going for a walk, run, coffee mornings, going for a meal etc.

We want you to feel supported. Let us know what you are planning and we will share your stories on our IA Together page.

The online Internal Pouch social event is tonight at 7:30 pm. Join us from the comfort of your own home.

Meet other pouchies, swap stories and help others. This is a friendly and fun group of people. You can be sure of a warm welcome.

Click here to register: https://bit.ly/3CkGYwJ

Following the success of Gladrags and Ostomy Bags in the winter, we are introducing Swimwear and Ostomy Bags for the summer. 😎

We would love to share pictures of you on holiday with your swimwear and ostomy bags on our socials. As fun as it is, there is of course a serious side too. For many people, having an ostomy gives them a new lease of life. They are able to go out and relax so much more because they don’t have to be tied to a toilet.

We want to support and encourage those who may be facing surgery or who have just had surgery and are feeling overwhelmed.

If you are happy to share your pictures, please either send us a DM, or email, [email protected].

Thank you 💙

Birmingham IA recently held their annual information day. A good day was had by all who attended. Pictured is the whole of the Birmingham IA Committee with President Melissa Cunha in the centre of the photograph (with the red lanyard).

We want to help you feel supported and part of our IA community.

As part of IA Together, we are eager to find out if you would like us to organise more events, either in-person or online.

Are you happy to meet up in person or would you prefer us to organise meet-ups online?

What subjects would you like us to cover?

This is your chance to have your say.

Please comment below or email us at [email protected].

"Losing my career in the Military was, for me at the time, more painful than the pain of going through the cancer treatment."

Read Glen's fantastic story of overcoming so much early on and how he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro successfully.
https://iasupport.org/wp.../uploads/2021/01/GlenNeilson.pdf

A warm welcome if this is the first time you have seen our IA Together page.

Our vision is to improve the lives of those with ileostomies and internal pouches.
If you head to our website, you will find lots of information to help you. We have stories from people who have undergone surgery, frequently asked questions and much more.

If you are new to ostomy or pouch life and have concerns or questions, please do not suffer in silence; reach out and let us help. Click here to visit our website and find out how we can help. https://iasupport.org/