1. David Griffith

2.  Father of two daughters and one granddaughter  Retired from work  Stoma surgery in 1997  Worked for 3 years after the operation – until normal retirement age

3. My Life  Live in a pleasant town in Yorkshire near the coast - nice country side  Good social life with friends, neighbours, dining out & other social activities  Took up golf after retiring and play enough to get fresh air and exercise  Love watching sport  Travel a lot – travelling with a stoma is not a problem if you have the right attitude

4. Living With a Stoma  Having a stoma has not stopped me from enjoying my life.  I plan things ahead – I organize what I do and then there are no limits.

5. Getting a Stoma  My life when I had my stoma in 1997: I was married I worked full time – same work for many years Basically a life on solid ground

6. Changes  Job change – due to reorganisation  I got a new job – new colleagues  My wife died

7. My New Situation  No one at my new job knew about my stoma  Suddenly a single man  My social life changed  I am now in a new relationship

8. Effects on My Life  A new relationship – when to tell, what to tell….?  New job – new colleagues – when to tell, what to tell….?  Travelling – my new partner lives in Canada. Needs planning to travel for longer periods

9. For Stoma Care Nurses to Help New Ostomates  Help the persons to get the best out of life.  You can overcome obstacles by information and planning  My lifestyle is supported by a flushable product  My advice is to be very individual when you help a person find the right appliance.

10. Thank you for listening.