The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

AFTER surviving a horrific jet-ski accident eight years ago, Megan Sands has committed herself to providing support to people who face challenges due to their health through a new foundation.

In 2006, Megan suffered serious injuries after being in a jet-ski accident which resulted in her having to undergo a colostomy.
Now, the 28-year-old has started The Megan Louise Sands Ostomy Foundation, which is devoted to raising funds for those individuals who are living with an ostomy and are economically disadvantaged and require both financial and emotional support.

An ostomy is a surgically created opening from an internal organ, such as the intestine, to an external point on the body, usually in the abdomen. There are three types of ostomies – colostomy, urostomy and ileostomy.

An ‘ostomate’ refers to someone who has one of these three ostomies. Some common reasons a person may surgically have an ostomy created include cancer, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel disease or trauma, such as an accident or a gunshot wound.

Megan also teamed up with Nurse Dawn Albury-Gaitor, the first Bahamian wound ostomy and continence nurse. She operates an out-patient clinic called Island Ostomy Wound Treatment Centre.

Together, they hope to raise a greater awareness of the financial, social and emotional challenges ostomy patients face.
The charity also hopes to support ostomates throughout the Bahamas to live their lives without limitations.
“Once I moved home two years ago, I knew there was something I wanted to do to make people more aware,” Megan told Tribune Health.

“There are not many resources for people living with an ostomy in the Bahamas. When I went to school in Savannah, Georgia, I had the luxury of going to meetings and networking with people who were in a similar situation as me.”

Establishing a place that ostomy patients can turn to for information and support is an intent of the foundation.

Megan said this was something she did not have after the accident, because there were no nurses in the Bahamas that specialised in ostomy treatments.

“I did not find out that nurses who focus on this particular surgery were called ostomy nurses until I went to school in Savannah, Georgia. I had some issues and obviously this was a new lifestyle change for me, because I had just turned 21-years-old and I was trying to adapt to the changes with my body,” Megan said.

“In the beginning I learned a lot through reading books and through the internet. I took it upon myself to find these things out. I think I read just about every book about ostomy out there in order to understand. In the beginning I was told that the ostomy would probably be temporary, but after I went to a specialist in the US I had to come to terms that it would be permanent,” she said.

One of the goals of the foundation is to raise funds in order to provide ostomy supplies for the many ostomates here in the Bahamas through the organisation’s patient assistance programme.

“It cost, on average, $2,100 annually for supplies for one person,” Megan said.

The Megan Louise Sands Ostomy Foundation’s goal is to raise enough funds to provide one year of the vital supplies for 24 ostomates – a total of $50,400.

Supplies include pouches, wafers, skin prep wipes, remover wipes and paste, which are all essential items for a person with an ostomy.

“There are people who are stuck at home because they do not have the proper supplies. So having the proper supplies not only helps you physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. It allows you more freedom to live your life,” she said.

Megan has been an ostomate for eight years. She has learned to not allow her physical circumstances to limit her daily life.

“I look for easy ways that will help me cope with it better so that I do not have to change anything about my life.

“I also ran my first full marathon last month which is probably the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was the most rewarding thing. I want to spark a positive conversation about ostomy in the Bahamas. People do not like to talk about it because it is awkward. There are people in the Bahamas who live with an ostomy, but do not even tell their families because they are embarrassed,” she said.

On Sunday, May 18, the organisation is holding its first charitable event, a 5K fun run/walk, with all of the proceeds going towards its patient assistance Programme.

Those wishing to assist in any way are invited to contact the Megan Louise Sands Ostomy Foundation, PO Box SS-6668, Nassau, Bahamas, or call 359-0020, fax 393-6114 or e-mail mlsostomyfoundation@gmail.com.