It is my pleasure to welcome you to our autumn issue. This time, we want to show the wonders exercise can do for your health and happiness. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic hoping to run a marathon, or you just want to get back on your feet after an operation, you’ll find tips and tricks on how to reach your goal in a way that’s effective and safe.
We are also introducing the first of our troubleshooting articles, a new series on how to overcome common ostomy problems. All ostomates have to deal with the occasional issue with their stoma, and this can get in the way of comfort and confidence. Luckily, if you have the right knowledge and approach, it can almost always be fixed.
Since we posted 5000 copies of our debut issue to ostomates around the world, we’ve had an amazing response. It has been quite overwhelming. Still, most ostomates and stoma nurses we meet are surprised to hear of us. We’ve been called stoma care’s best kept secret, so it looks like we still have a way to go in getting the word out there. If you like what you read, we’d love you to tell your nurse or your peers, and, if you email the editor, we’d be happy to send you extra copies to give out.
If you missed our first issue, it is available to read free online on our new website at www.stomatips.com. You can also email us with your thoughts and recommendations for the magazine, as well as send us your stories and photographs, at stomatips@markallengroup.com. We are keen to help you share the challenges you have overcome, as well as the tricks and attitudes that have helped you live life to the full, whether this is in your leisure, your work or your relationships. We are hoping to do a travel special, so do send us your holiday stories and snaps.
If you would like to star in the seventh Stomawise Ostomy Awareness Calendar for 2020, send us a photo with your pouch on show to 2020calendar@stomawise.co.uk before the end of October. You can also preorder your own copy of the calendar from the Stomawise store. We wish our readers a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year, and we hope to see you in spring.
John Walsh is the founder of Stomawise, the support network for anybody with ostomy surgery
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