About Uncover Ostomy
Uncover Ostomy is an online awareness campaign shaping a positive conversation about the ostomy in social media spaces. We will be sharing positive stories and thought provoking images—dare we say sexy?—to spark this conversation. We invite you to share your comments and ideas on this website, on Facebook, on YouTube, on Twitter and every where else you spend time engaging other people online.
About Jessica
As surprising as this may sound, I never really know what to say when I’m asked this question, nor do I particularity like to answer it.
But I guess I can start at the basics.
I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 3rd, 1989.
I grew up loving the arts; acting, singing dancing, drawing, painting, and everything in between. I went through various career goals as a child, such as a teacher and a fashion designer, but my real dream has always been to be an actor.
School was a big part of my life. Elementary school was private and high school was public. I learned very different things from both schools and their environments, but I learned a lot nonetheless.
When I was 8 years old, I started to have stomach pains.
When I was 9 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
When I was 10 years old, I was living with chronic pain and symptoms of the disease.
When I was 11 years old, I spent my first 9 days in the hospital, 7 of which I was not allowed to eat.
When I was 12 years old, I lived in the hospital.
When I was 13 years old, I was told if I did not agree to have my colon removed and replaced with an ostomy, I would die.
When I was 13, I was saved.
This is just a summary.
Despite how much I dislike talking “about me” there is an important story to be told. A story that needs to be told.
In grade 12 I was asked to create a media campaign to spread awareness of a topic of my choosing. Of course, I chose my ostomy. This was my chance to share my story and spread awareness and to show that if I can be comfortable with what I have, anyone can be.
The ad campaign I created was well received. It ended up being published in a few magazines and helped me win a scholarship to attend the University of Western Ontario for Media Studies.
The message my ad contained, however, needed to be spread wider. This is when I teamed up with IDEAS and the UOAA. They told me my campaign was exactly what they needed—what society needed—to spread awareness.
And this is what I’m doing.
That’s me.
About Ostomy
An ostomy is a surgically created opening from an internal organ such as the intestines or ureters to an external point on the body, usually in the abdomen, so that diseased or damaged portions of the patients’ organ can be removed or treated for disease. The piece that is created to pass through from inside the body to outside is called a stoma. Bodily excretions such as stool, mucus and urine pass through the stoma into a special bag on the outside of the body that the wearer empties on a regular basis.
Ostomies are used in the treatment of diseases of the intestines and/or bladder and are most commonly used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns/Colitis as well as certain cancers. The ostomy can be a temporary or permanent procedure depending on a number of factors including type of condition and the person’s needs.
The three most common types of ostomy are:
Colostomy – a portion of the large intestine is removed or re-routed temporarily or permanently
Ileostomy – a portion of the small intestine is removed or re-routed temporarily or permanently
Urostomy – urine is diverted from the kidneys, often to bypass a diseased or removed bladder
Check out these informative sites for more information on ostomies:
Ostomy Care and Supply Centre
United Ostomy Associations of America
International Ostomy Association
About IDEAS
IDEAS, or the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society is a registered Canadian charity with chapters in Vancouver, British Columbia and Windsor, Ontario. IDEAS works through education and awareness to eliminate the stigma associated with intestinal diseases. Because intestinal diseases are a leading cause of ostomy surgeries, Uncover Ostomy is a natural extension of IDEAS' awareness efforts.
About UOAA
UOAA is an association of affiliated, nonprofit, support groups who are committed to the improvement of the quality of life of people who have, or will have, an intestinal or urinary diversion.
