By Catherine Shanahan,Irishexaminer.com

Copyright irishexaminer

“I was prepped for stoma bag surgery, but at the last minute, the doctors decided to try steroids first. I went from being five stone when I was really sick to being unbelievably bloated, but medication saved me from a stoma for 12 years.

“In 2011, at age 24, I decided the time had come. I called the bag Guiney because, as a child, I always refused to go into Michael Guiney’s with my grandmother. At the end of the day, Guiney saved my life.

“I took up my role as chief operations officer with CCI in June, but I’d been involved with them before that, when I was working at APC Microbiome Ireland, which Fergus Shanahan set up in UCC in 2003.

“As the only full-time employee with CCI, my job is full-on. My focus is on trying to empower people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their loved ones. About 45,000 people in Ireland suffer from IBD, with that number increasing.

“Having a stoma has a huge impact on lifestyle. An area I’ve been working to improve is the airport experience for people with a bag. The stoma lights up like a Christmas tree on the new full-body scanners in airports. I’ve trained staff at Cork and Dublin airports to interact with stoma patients in a respectful and understanding manner.

“I know what it’s like to suffer with IBD, but I’ve turned a negative into a positive. If my story can give someone the smallest bit of hope, I’m happy.”

To mark World Stoma (Ostomy) Day, CCI will host an online talk ‘Breaking Barriers: Real Talk on Living with a Stoma’ for people with IBD.
It takes place tomorrow, Saturday, October 4, from 12-1pm. To register, visit crohnscolitis.ie/members/events