Kim Lyell says if he didn't undergo an ostomy, he wouldn't be here - and he doesn't just mean the first ever ostomy information day held in Cowra recently.
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Having a stoma saved his life after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer a decade ago, and he was at the Services Club on behalf of Ostomy NSW last week to help other ostomates learn how best they could manage their condition.
For the uninitiated, ostomates are people who have had an ostomy, a surgical operation to create an opening in the body for the discharge of wastes.
The plight of ostomates was put on the agenda locally by Georgie Hodder and the Cowra Ostomy Friendship Group, who through sharing their own stories built up public awareness and understanding for people who've had a colostomy or ileostomy.
"We wanted to meet up with new people and learn about new products and new technologies," Ms Hodder said about the day.
"We have people here from Cowra, Cootamundra and Carcoar."
Mr Lyell, who's also the editor of the Ostomy Australia magazine and the Colostomy Association of NSW Journal, said information days like this are useful because the technology available for ostomates is changing rapidly.
"Back in the 50s and 60s, people used rubber bags which were porous and the smell would come through. They would use this adhesive like cement, you'd have to mix it up and it would irritate the skin when removed," he said.
"Now there are 70, 000 people each year in Australia who access the stoma appliance scheme which is fully-funded by Medicare.
"When you have the operation you dread it, but if I didn't have [my stoma] I wouldn't be here."
And, as Mr Lyell pointed out, it has its benefits.
"I don't have to sit on the cold toilet seat of a morning anymore!" he said.
Although he approaches life as an ostomate with humour, he said there's still a stigma associated with stomas.
"A lot of this here today is about support," he said.
"There are 11, 000 people in NSW with a stoma and we want to let them know they are not alone."
As for our local ostomates, while they've been a bit quiet recently, Ms Hodder said they're ramping up for World Ostomy Day in October.
"We'll be out doing a barbecue and selling lilac ribbons," she said.
You can keep up with their fund and awareness raising activities by searching 'Cowra Ostomy Friendship Group Info Page' on Facebook.
