Stoma Resources, Care and Support

Stoma Counselling:

CANSA offers free pre- and post-operative counselling.  Advice is given to ostomates and family members in order to empower them to cope with living with a stoma day-to-day.

Tele Stoma Support:

For ostomates or family members of ostomates living far from their nearest CANSA Care Centre, our CANSA Tele Stoma Support service is a life-line. Make an appointment via our Toll Free line on 0800 22 66 22 or email counselling@cansa.org.za to receive free stoma-specific advice, and a trained stoma consultant will give you a call during working hours (08:00 to 16:30).

Sale of Stoma Products

Stoma (ostomy) supplies and incontinence products can be purchased at most local CANSA Care Centres and from our Stoma Clinics in Cape Town and Pretoria. For a minimal fee products can be couriered to your door or to your closest CANSA Care Centre.

CANSA stocks some of the biggest brands such as Coloplast, Convatec and Hollister, and guarantees affordable prices, professional assistance and speedy delivery.

Medical aid and cash clients are catered for.

Stoma Clinics:

We have two Stoma Clinics based in Cape Town and Pretoria:

• CANSA Cape Metro Care Centre – Tel: 021 689 5347, address: 7 Dunbar Avenue, Athlone
• CANSA Pretoria Care Centre – Tel: 012 329 3036, address: 32 Lys Street, Rietfontein

Where a CANSA Care Centre or Stoma Clinic is not equipped to provide the above-mentioned service, patients will be referred to reliable service providers in their local community.

Queries: Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za

The word ‘stoma’ originates from the Greek language and means ‘mouth or opening’.  Stoma types include: colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy.

A stoma is an artificial passageway (hole) the surgeon makes into the digestive or urinary tract in order to help the body get rid of waste (faeces or urine), when the body is not able to do in the usual manner.

Some people have a temporary stoma (an artificial opening into the colon), made during their treatment for bowel cancer. This is closed a few months later when the bowel has fully healed.

However when the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system or sphincter mechanism are not able to function normally again, then the stoma is permanent and cannot be closed.

The colostomy bag is designed to stick onto the abdomen where it collects the faeces and flatus from the stoma (opening). It is waterproof so one can wear it while showering or bathing.

Most colostomy bags have several special features including a filter – which works by releasing flatus so the bag does not inflate (which is called ‘ballooning’).

The filter also has a deodorising action to make sure there is no smell, which is one of the things people worry about the most.

General queries regarding the above-mentioned may be directed to Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za

Me+ Resources:

Become a member of Me+ and have access to more resources…

• Understanding your stoma
• Ostomy terms

Stoma Counselling:

CANSA offers free pre- and post-operative counselling.  Advice is given to ostomates and family members in order to empower them to cope with living with a stoma day-to-day.

Tele Stoma Support:

For ostomates or family members of ostomates living far from their nearest CANSA Care Centre, our CANSA Tele Stoma Support service is a life-line. Make an appointment via our Toll Free line on 0800 22 66 22 or email counselling@cansa.org.za to receive free stoma-specific advice, and a trained stoma consultant will give you a call during working hours (08:00 to 16:30).

Find some useful tips regarding what to expect before, after and during surgery, as well as some questions you should ask your medical team:

• CANSA Fact Sheet: Stoma and Stoma Care

General queries regarding surgery and what to expect may be directed to Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za

Me+ Resources:

Become a member of Me+ and have access to more resources…

• Pre-surgery visit
• Before surgery
• Surgery
• Before Surgery
• What to expect in hospital
• After surgery
• Colostomy surgery
• Urostomy surgery
• Ileostomy surgery
• Immediate weeks following surgery
• Recovery

Lifestyle changes may have to be made so that you can live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life as an ostomate:

• CANSA Fact Sheet: Stoma and Stoma Care
• Poster: Stoma Tips & Tricks – Restrooms and Travel

Your medical team will guide you regarding a diet which will help manage your stoma, and you may also contact Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za for advice:

• CANSA Fact Sheet: Nutritional Guidelines for Individuals living with a Colostomy
• CANSA Fact Sheet: Nutritional Guidelines for Individuals Living with an Ileostomy
• CANSA Fact Sheet: Nutritional Guidelines for Individuals Living with a Urostomy

Vera SA Ostomy Underwear

Vera SA’s ostomy underwear range for male and female stoma wearers (colostomy, urostomy or ileostomy) can help improve confidence as products stylishly conceal and discreetly support ostomy pouches. Contact Vera SA for more information or purchase online…

Me+ Resources:

Become a member of Me+ and have access to more resources…

• Stoma Care
• Skin Care Tips
• Diet
• Activity
• Style
• Travel
• Relationships

Stoma Counselling:

CANSA offers free pre- and post-operative counselling.  Advice is given to ostomates and family members in order to empower them to cope with living with a stoma day-to-day.

Tele Stoma Support:

For ostomates or family members of ostomates living far from their nearest CANSA Care Centre, our CANSA Tele Stoma Support service is a life-line. Make an appointment via our Toll Free line on 0800 22 66 22 or email counselling@cansa.org.za to receive free stoma-specific advice, and a trained stoma consultant will give you a call during working hours (08:00 to 16:30).

Tele Counselling:

Note: this is not stoma-specific counselling

It’s not easy to adjust to life with a stoma, and often this affects the ostomate and family members or caregivers too. CANSA offers a free Tele Counselling service around adjusting to life with cancer. This is confidential, professional, cancer-related telephonic counselling to cancer patients, caregivers and their families and parents or guardians of children living with cancer. Counselling is available in seven languages (English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu,siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana) and is free of charge. Make an appointment via our Toll Free line on 0800 22 66 22 or email counselling@cansa.org.za to receive free counselling, and a trained counsellor will give you a call during working hours (08:00 to 16:30).

Facebook Support Groups

CANSA Survivors – Champions of Hope for cancer Survivors (patients / those in remission) and loved ones – receive encouragement from fellow members and share your story

CANSA Caring for the Caregivers for Caregivers of cancer Survivors (patients) – receive encouragement from fellow members and share your story

SA Society of Stomates (SASS) Facebook Page

Share your Story

Me+ Resources:

Become a member of Me+ and join the Me+ community…

SASS:

The SA Society of Stomates 

Upcoming Webinars:

• TBA

• CANSA online resources for coping with cancer
• CANSA Fact Sheets: Types of Cancer (view your specific type of cancer)

Me+ Resources:

Become a member of Me+ and have access to more resources…

• Blog
• Useful links

Webinars

• Talking Stoma on World Ostomy Day (2 October 2021) – recording available
• Let’s Get Chatty about Stoma Care (7 April 2021) – recording available

If you believe that your rights as an ostomate are being violated or ignored, please report this to CANSA, email: info@cansa.org.za or phone our Toll Free line: 0800 22 66 22

Charter Ostomates’ Rights (International Ostomy Association)

Ostomates have to receive the information and care which will enable them to live a self-determined and independent life and to participate in all decision-making processes.

It is the declared objective of the International Ostomy Association (IOA) that this CHARTER shall be realised in all Countries of the World.

The Ostomate shall:

• Receive pre-operative counseling to ensure that they are fully aware of the benefits of the operation and the essential facts about living with a stoma.
• Have a well-constructed stoma placed at an appropriate site, and with full and proper consideration to the comfort of the patient.
• Receive experienced and professional medical support and stoma nursing care in the preoperative and postoperative period both in hospital and in their community.
• Receive support and information for the benefit of the family, caregivers and friends to increase their understanding of the conditions and adjustments which are necessary for achieving a satisfactory standard of life with a stoma.
• Receive full and impartial information about all relevant supplies and products available in their Country.
• Have unrestricted access to a variety of affordable ostomy products.
• Be given information about their National Ostomy Association and the services and support which can be provided.
• Be protected against all forms of discrimination.
• Receive assurance that personal information regarding their ostomy surgery will be treated with discretion and confidentiality to maintain privacy; and that no information about their medical condition will be disclosed by anyone possessing this information, to an entity that engages in the manufacture, sales or distribution of ostomy or related products; nor shall it be disclosed to any person that will benefit, directly or indirectly, because of their relation to the commercial ostomy market without the expressed consent of the ostomate.

Issued by: the IOA Coordination Committee

Original: June 1993 | Revisions: June 1997 | Revised by World Council 2004 | 2007

Source: SASS

Faizel Jacobs

Faizel Jacobs, cancer Survivor and ostomate, with support from CANSA and stoma nurses, is able to live life to the full – view video…