They call each other on Instagram @Kangouroogirl, @Happybaglife Where @ZoeyWrightFitness. These three women share the same fight and the same motivation: to show their daily life with an ostomy bag and to raise awareness. As a result of certain diseases (Crohn’s disease, cancer, etc.), disorders (intestinal obstruction, lesion of the digestive system) or trauma, the intestine or the bladder can no longer perform their functions. Surgery (digestive stoma) is then performed to allow stool and urine to be evacuated into a pocket placed outside the body. If patients can lead a normal and active life with this pocket by learning the gestures to clean it and change it, talking about it is more difficult. Fear of the gaze of others, of being judged, ignorance of the subject … So many reasons that encourage people forced to live with a temporary or permanent stoma to hide it.
Charlene, 24, aka @kangouroogirl, lives with an ostomy pouch due to short bowel syndrome, a malabsorption disorder. Through her Instagram and her YouTube channel, the young woman hopes to be a “source of motivation” for people who suffer from the same syndrome. “Today I finally feel good about myself. After long months of convalescence and long years of acceptance, I finally managed to accept myself as I am. I finally decided to come out of the silence, to share my story with you so that this syndrome is recognized “, she testifies on the Wearepatients website.
“Why let illness change me mentally?”
Her credo, she proudly asserts it through her positive posts: “you must not let go, you must always fight and no longer be afraid of anything, because you only have one life! “
A fierce determination is also what drives Zoey Wright and pushes her to train every day. A chronic inflammatory bowel disease Forced her to have part of her bowel removed and live with a pouch. The physical trauma was followed by impressive mental strength. A few months after the operation, she took her first bodybuilding competition and proudly showed off her muscular figure. To these 57,000 followers, she highlights her daily sports life and is not afraid of show your ostomy pouch. “This disease took my gut and changed me physically,” she says on the 7 of 7 site. “But why let it change me mentally? When you have a passion and you’re moving forward for something , nothing should stop your happiness. Bodybuilding has always been my way out and still is. “
Read also
Faecal transplant: a real treatment
A cheese to treat chronic diseases
