Milton Keynes Stoma Support Group is holding an open meeting on Saturday 17 October, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, at CPCC Community Hub, Springfield Boulevard, Springfield, Milton Keynes, MK6 3JS. The event welcomes people with all types of stoma or urinary diversion, as well as anyone awaiting stoma surgery.

Ahead of the meeting, IA members Lynne Slocombe, the group’s founder, and Annemarie Hedges share why this welcoming local community matters.

Lynne explains how the group began

“When I had my ileostomy in 1975 in Northampton, there were no stoma care nurses and I learned about coping with my stoma from a member of the IA whom the hospital ‘called in’ and later from joining the Northampton branch of the IA which held meetings at that time.

“I live in Milton Keynes which had no hospital until it was built in 1979 and in the mid 1980s a part-time stoma care nurse was recruited. I was asked to set up a local group, doing visits to the hospital and the community in a fast-growing new town.

“The medical professionals and manufacturers were involved in all types of stoma surgery and appliances and if we were going to rely on their support it didn’t seem necessary to me to restrict our group to those with one type of stoma. In addition, we certainly shared some experiences, not least the need to accept the new body image (all bags were pretty primitive at the time) and building confidence with the ‘outside’ world.

“Many of us now belong to the various national organisations but locally we happily mix together.”

For anyone nervous about attending for the first time, Lynne offers a practical suggestion:

“It’s easy for us to say ‘don’t worry, we’re a very friendly group’, but that’s hard advice to follow when you’re walking in for the first time. If you’re feeling nervous, give us a call beforehand and we’ll pair you up with a buddy. That way, you’ll know who to look out for when you arrive, rather than scanning the room for a seat or a friendly face.”

Annemarie shares her experience

Annemarie has had her ileostomy since 2008, and found the group through a notice on her local supermarket’s community board:

“It’s been 18 years now, and it still brings me challenges. You change shape as you get older and need to adjust. When I spotted the notice, it was advertising an open day with suppliers and their products. I’d been to a similar event a number of years before and found new products that helped at the time, so I decided to go along.

“Nothing replaces talking to people who ‘get it’. You don’t have to explain your problems. Someone will say ‘oh yes, me too’ and tell you what they’ve tried. It’s invaluable. I’ve already switched to one product that has helped me hugely, and I found out about it just by chatting. I was also persuaded not to put up with being uncomfortable, so I contacted the stoma nurses and am now looking for a product that better suits my needs.

“My advice is just come along. Ring the number and you can be paired up with someone for your first visit, or just turn up. I did just turn up, knew no one, and within minutes three people had welcomed me and introduced themselves. I got myself a tea and a bun and felt comfortable quickly.

“It does take a while to get to know everyone, but that’s part of what makes it good. Everyone has a different story, and together you chat your way to possible solutions.”

Join the open meeting

Whether you’re new to life with a stoma or have lived with one for years, there’s a welcome waiting in Milton Keynes.

Join the group’s open meeting on Saturday 17 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm. For more information, please see here.