Links: Ostomy Organizations

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Areas of Interest on This Page

• Ostomy Organizations in Canada •  U.S. Nationwide Support Networks
• Ostomy Organizations in United States • Worldwide Ostomy Organizations
• Other Links of Interest   


Ostomy Organizations in Canada

United Ostomy Association of Canada  (UOAC)
UOAC's site was established to help inform, enlighten, connect and unite ostomates in Canada and around the world. Ostomates of all ages must struggle with the devastating effects of disease. It is through fellow ostomates that many gain the strength and courage to rise up out of the mire of pain and despair and regain the life which they deserve. This is why the UOAC was founded and why it has emerged on the Internet. Head office is in Toronto, Ontario.

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide-Canada  (FOW)
FOW-Canada is a non-profit organization operated solely by volunteers. FOW-Canada endeavors to improve the quality of life of people with ostomies and assists in educating their care givers in countries where the latest technology is not available. FOW-Canada collects, repacks, ships and donates quality surplus ostomy products and related literature. All donated material is received from chapters of the UOAC, Enterostomal Therapy nurses, suppliers, and individuals. Since 1986, FOW-Canada has collected and sent over 44,813 kg (98,800 lbs.) of ostomy supplies and literature to 52 impoverished countries. Head office is in Ottawa, Ontario.

Below is a list of the Canadian ostomy chapters with web sites. For a complete list of all ostomy chapters and associations in Canada, please visit the  UOAC Chapters  page.

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Ostomy Organizations in United States

United Ostomy Association (UOA)
Throughout the past four decades, UOA has had a profound influence on improving the quality of life for individuals with an ostomy or continent diversion. UOA is making a difference in a number of ways, including patient-to-patient support, educational literature, a helping cyber community, advocacy, and promoting earlier detection of colon cancer. Head office is in Irvine, California.

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide-USA  (FOW)
FOW-USA is an organization which collects surplus and donated ostomy supplies for shipment to places of need throughout the world. In all cases, the supplies are distributed free of charge under the direction of a responsible person, knowledgeable in ostomy management, such as an ET nurse. UOA membership dues and donations are used to cover the costs of packing and shipping. FOW-USA's primary program is called  Project SHARE (Sending Hope and Rehabilitation Everywhere). Head office is in Los Angeles, California.

Below is a list of the American ostomy chapters with web sites. For a complete list of all ostomy chapters and associations in the United States, please visit the  UOA Chapters  page.

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U.S. Nationwide Support Networks

  • UOA Teen Network
    The UOA Teen Network is dedicated to providing education, information, support and advocacy as it addresses the concerns of those teenagers 11 to 17 years of age who have or may have intestinal or urinary diversions or alterations.

  • UOA Young Adult Network
    The UOA Young Adult Network is dedicated to providing education, information, support and advocacy as it addresses the concerns of those young adults 18 years of age and older who have or may have intestinal or urinary diversions or alterations.

  • UOA 30+ Network
    The UOA 30+ Network is dedicated to providing education, information, support and advocacy as it addresses the concerns of those adults 30 years of age and older who have or may have intestinal or urinary diversions or alterations.

  • UOA Gay & Lesbian Ostomates  (GLO)
    GLO is a support group for gay, lesbian or bisexual ostomates (or other type of diversionary procedure), their partners, care givers and friends. Web site is currently under construction. For information concerning GLO, please call 1-800-826-0826 or establish contact by  

  • UOA Parents of Ostomy Children
    Parents of Ostomy Children is a national network within the UOA. Their goal is to offer support and information to the parents of children who through birth anomaly, disease or injury have had, or will have, ostomy or diversion surgery.

  • UOA Continent Diversion Network
    The Continent Diversion Network is a national support group for people who have or plan to have an internal intestinal pouch to replace the bladder, any part of the colon or rectum. Appli- ances or collection systems are not worn. Members of this network come from a variety of medical conditions and repre- sent the broad range of surgeries developed to create these pouches, continent ostomies, or diversions. Some examples are: J, S, or W pouches, Kock pouch, Ileoanal pouch, BCIR pouch, Florida and Indiana pouches, Studer pouch and Neobladders.

  • Pull-thru Network
    The Pull-thru Network was organized as a chapter of the UOA in 1988 by a group of families whose children were born with an anorectal malformation. Today, the PTN is one of the largest organizations in the world dedicated to the support and information needs of the families of children born with imperforate anus, cloaca, cloaca exstrophy, bladder exstrophy, VATER Syndrome, Hirschsprung's Disease, and other birth-related anomalies.

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Worldwide Ostomy Organizations

Traveling abroad or perhaps a career relocation opportunity has presented itself? Or maybe you would just like to speak to someone about your ostomy in your own language? Below is a short list of worldwide ostomy groups and organizations with web sites that can be of assistance to you. For a complete list of all ostomy organizations worldwide, please visit the following site.

World Resource Center  (WRC)
WRC's primary purpose is as a repository of site links and contact information for all ostomy organizations, support groups, networks and suppliers worldwide. The pages are continuously updated with new sites and links are tested weekly, so you can be assured that the information is up-to-date and accurate.

International Ostomy Association (IOA)
IOA is an association of ostomy associa-tions committed to the improvement of the quality of life of ostomates and those with related surgeries worldwide. It provides its member associations with information and management guide- lines, helps to form new ostomy associations, and advocates on related matters and policies.

  • Australian Council of Stoma Associations  (ACSA)
    ACSA represents, at a national level, the interests of all 22 regional Stoma Associations in Australia. It provides liaison with the Australian government and appliance suppliers, co-ordinates support services for ostomates throughout Australia and publishes the national journal "Ostomy Australia".

  • Australia – Young Ostomates United  (YOU)
    YOU is a non-profit organization that aims to encourage support and friendship between young people with a stoma, their families and friends and to provide resource material to both new and well-established ostomates. YOU caters essentially to young ostomates from the approximate ages of birth to 40 years of age.

  • Stomaclub Antwerpen  (Belgium)
    Site is entirely in Dutch • Het meewerken aan informatiedagen, het bijwonen van congressen, het bijhouden van contacten op Europees en Internationaal vlak. Stomaclub Antwerpen is lid van de IAO. Het samenwerken als een actief lid in het "Vlaams Patientenplatform". Ze werkt eveneens samen met de Vlaamse Liga tegen Kanker, Het Antwerps Kanker Informatie – en Ontmoetingscentrum en het Oncologisch Centrum Antwerpen.

    Loosely translated • Stomaclub Antwerpen is a member of the International Ostomy Association. Its representatives attend conferences and keep up-to-date contacts in the European and international areas. Stomaclub Antwerpen operates in conjunc- tion with the Flemish League Against Cancer, the Antwerp Cancer Information Center, the Oncologist Center Antwerp, and is an active member in the "Flemish Patients Platform".

  • British Colostomy Association (BCA)
    BCA is a national charity which represents the interests of people with a colostomy and which provides support, reassurance and practical information to ostomates and anyone who requires colostomy surgery.

  • British Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group (IA)
    IA (formerly known as the Ileostomy Association of Great Britain and Ireland) is a UK registered charity whose primary aim is to help people who have to undergo surgery which involves the removal of their colon (colectomy) and the creation of either an ileostomy or an ileo-anal pouch.

  • Urostomy Association of Great Britain & Ireland
    The Association assists those who are about to undergo or who have undergone surgery which results in a urinary diversion.

  • La Fédération des Stomisés de France
    Site is entirely in French • La Fédération des Stomisés de France et lesassociations qui la constituent apportent une aide irremplaçable pour les stomisés: aide morale, psychologique, expériences vécues par d’autres stomisés et conseils- pratiques pour la meilleure intégration possible dans la vie courante, familiale, socialeet professionnelle.

    Loosely translated • The Ostomy Federation of France and its associations bring an irreplaceable assistance for the ostomate: moral, psychological assistance, experiences lived by fellow ostomates, and practices for the best possible integration back into the mainstream of family, professional and social lifestyles.

  • Deutsche ILCO  (Germany)
    Site is entirely in German • Die Deutsche Vereinigung der Stomaträger. Die Deutsche ILCO hat sich selbst verpflichtet, allen Stomaträgern in Deutschland beizustehen, dass sie auch mit dem Stoma ein selbstbestimmtes und selbständiges Leben in Familie, Beruf und Gesellschaft führen können.

    Loosely translated • The German Association for Ostomates. The German ILCO has obligated itself to assist all ostomates in Germany so that they can lead an independent family life, career and social life with a stoma.

  • Hungarian Association of Ostomates –
    HAJDÚ-BIHAR Megyei ILCO KLUB Honlapján
    Site is available in Hungarian, German and has an English introduction page • The Association's goal is to collaborate with ostomates throughout Hungary and address their difficulties, especially as to their frame of mind, and to organize and recruit their willingness and committment to help others.

  • Informacje na Temat Stomii Oraz J-Poucha  (Poland)
    Site is entirely in Polish • Ta strona jest przeznaczona dla osób ze stomia i wszystkich zainteresowanych problematyka stomii. Zawiera takze informacje na temat wewnetrznego zbiornika jelitowego (j-pouch), które beda uzupelnianie.

    Webmaster's Note • Translation not available, however, this appears to be a good site full of resources, contact information, and good photo illustrations and diagrams. Site includes information about various types of stomas with a focus on ileo-anal anastomosis or "J-Pouch" operation.

    • ILCO Swedish Ostomy Association  (Sweden)
    Site is entirely in Swedish • Translation not available, however, this appears to be an excellent site full of resources, articles, contact information, and an online discussion forum divided into three topics • Allmänt Forum • Forum kring sjukdomar, störningar och besvär i mag-tarmsystemet • Stomi och reservoar i praktiken.

  • Swiss Ostomy Site  (Switzerland)
    Site is available in German and English • This is a personal site and not that of a professional organization. As of May 2003, the webmaster can no longer find resources to keep the pages up-to-date, but he has left the site online in the event that some of the information may prove useful. The site has a list of Swiss ostomy manufacturers, information about ILCO Switzerland, and what appears to be a list of ET advisors throughout the country. Information can be reached at  this link.

Other Links of Interest

The Health Line
The Health Line is an innovative website that puts accurate and up-to-date info about health services at the fingertips of consumers and health providers across South Western Ontario. The Health Line provides easy access to a reliable source of data, and empowers consumers to find the services they need close to home. Over 2,000 records describe organizations and programs serving people who live in London and Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce Counties.

As of April 19, 2004, all links on this page were active. If you discover any broken links or, alternatively, wish to see a link included, please advise LDOA's Webmaster,