Ostomy Canada Connects - SouthWesthealthline.ca

OSTOMY CANADA
CONNECTS
The Ostomy Canada Connects
is a publication of the Ostomy
Canada Society Inc. This
bulletin is published 10 times
a year in both English and
French (future) to provide
greater communication to the
chapters. Limited funds only
permit circulation to chapter
leadership who are
encouraged to share the
information with their
members by including items
of interest in their newsletters.
NATIONAL OFFICE:
Ostomy Canada Society Inc.
5800 Ambler Drive, Suite 210
Mississauga, ON L4W 4J4
Email [email protected]
905-212-7111
FAX: 905-212-9002
TOLL FREE: 1-888-969-9698
WEBSITE:
www.ostomycanada.ca
PRESIDENT:
Ann Ivol
VICE PRESIDENT:
Vacant
TREASURER:
Stephen Maybee
SECRETARY:
Carol Wells
DIRECTORS:
Andrew Borrill
Jim Fitzgerald
Rosemary Gaffray
Andrea Manson
Lorrie Pismenny
Debra Terryberry
OFFICE COORDINATOR
Carole Pew
President’s Message
President’s Message
Greetings all,
The month of September has been an important time to represent Ostomy Canada
Society. The Society was invited to attend the United Ostomy Associations of
America (UOAA) Conference in St Louis, Missouri. Fourteen Canadians from
across the country participated in the conference. At the Ostomy Canada booth,
we greeted many participants who were interested in our organization. The wrist
bracelets were popular because our vision statement, ‘Live life to the fullest’
captured people’s attention. Lorrie Pismenny, Chair of the 2016 Conference
Planning Committee, brought information about the Ostomy Canada Society
Conference, August 18 – 20, 2016, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We expect to see
some visitors from the UOAA at the conference next summer.
During the last weekend in September, Ostomy Canada Society had a booth at
the Association Québécoise des Personnes Stomisées (AQPS) Congrès in Quebec
City. At the congrès, the French version of Ostomy Canada Society’s Services
Brochure was introduced to the participants. It was well received. Other
participants were interested in donating to Ostomy Canada Society as National
Supporters rather than become members of a local chapter.
I take this opportunity to thank the members of the Hamilton Chapter for
organizing the successful Chapter Information Session (CIS) in Burlington,
Ontario. A report of the CIS can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. At the
Annual General Meeting held after the CIS, the following new directors were
acclaimed: Debra Terryberry, Hamilton, ON; Andrew Borrill, Paradise NL; and
Jim Fitzgerald, Toronto, ON. The position of Vice-president is still vacant. I am
hoping that someone will volunteer to take on this important responsibility.
As I begin my two year term as President, I wish to assure you that I will be
working for Ostomy Canada Society to the best of my ability. If there is any
concern that you feel needs to be addressed, please contact me at the following :
[email protected]
Ann Ivol
President
(
Ostomy Canada Connects
Page 2
Website/Social Networking
In 2011we had 660,359 hits from 19,160 unique visitors. During 2012, there were 728,083 hits on
our website by 27,019 unique visitors. During 2013, there were 513,260 hits on our website by
20,245 unique visitors. Our website had 2,101,047 hits from 57,992 unique visitors in 2014. From
the comments we have received, the new look is very appealing.
For an online map of chapters and districts, click here: http://www.ostomycanada.ca/maps2/map.html
If you have any comment on our website, please contact: Angie Schickerowski or Peter Folk through the
national office email [email protected]
Our website is very popular, a great source of information and at least 6,350 other websites directly linked to
ours. More and more people are using the Internet to get Ostomy information and our contact form is used
regularly to contact the office.
Please note that our discussion board has closed as of September 29, 2015. Please join our
Facebook group or our new online community.
Item
Unique web visitors (Year to Date)
Number of Web Visitors (Year to Date)
Web Hits (Year to Date)
Facebook page likes
Facebook group members
Facebook Parents group members
Facebook 20/40 group members
Discussion Board members
Twitter Followers
LinkedIn group members
LinkedIn Company followers
Google+ Circle members
Ostomy Canada Society email group members (at
Yahoo)
Blog Posts
Pinterest Followers
YouTube Channel Views
Stoma Stroll Website Sessions
Stoma Stroll Website Visitors
Stoma Stroll Website Unique Visitors
Stoma Stroll Website Page Views
Online Community members
Survey Responses (English)
Survey Responses (French)
September
61,816
148,805
3,173,366
612
727
74
42
Closed
430
56
49
74
36
42
21
71
7,193
56,570
6,570
10,144
9
260
58
Page 3
Ostomy Canada Connects
CHAPTER INFORMATION SESSION (CIS) & AGM
Sept 19-20, 2015
There were 44 people who attended the Chapter Information Session (CIS) in Burlington, ON, on September
19. These attendees were members of the National Board, registered delegates for the Annual General
Meeting and members from local chapters. In addition, there were eight exhibitors representing nine
companies and organizations.
The CIS was organized and hosted by the Hamilton & District Ostomy Association. It’s a bit of a job putting
on a CIS when it’s connected to the Annual General Meeting of Ostomy Canada Society. Finding a venue at a
reasonable cost and facilities to accommodate both events, was a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, the Holiday
Inn and Conference Centre in Burlington was the perfect place to hold the events - near enough to two airports
and far enough away from the high costs in Toronto. And with a registration fee of only $20, each attendee
had a morning and afternoon snack and a gourmet lunch for the Saturday.
A Chapter Information Session doesn’t have to be connected to an AGM. A CIS can stand alone. It can be a
one-day event drawing people from nearby chapters to share information and resources and talk about issues
that need addressing. And it doesn’t need to be at a hotel. A free or inexpensive community facility will do.
Lunch can be provided by the host chapter or each attendee pays a nominal fee for a morning snack and a
sandwich lunch. And at the end of the day, people return to their homes having spent the day learning new
things and how to help their chapter improve. A Chapter Information Session manual is available from the
National Office.
The choice of topics for any CIS will depend on who will likely attend the day. In the case of the CIS in
Burlington, since the attendees came from across Canada, it was decided to choose topics that were common
to most support groups. The following were the four main topics:
1. How to promote your chapterPanel: Les Kehoe, Past President, UOAC; John Molnar, Past President, Niagara Chapter;
Richard Olley, President, Halton-Peel Chapter; Roger Ivol, President, Hamilton Chapter
How to get public recognition and respect in the community provided lots of suggestions. The most discussed
were: why a good newsletter is so important; how to get more involved in the community; how to improve the
relationship with our ETs; and reviewing the status and quality of the chapter’s Visiting Program.
2. Changes are comingRecommendations of the Governance Advisory Working Group
Presented by Ed Tummers, leader, and members of the Governance Advisory Working Group.
This was an interactive session where the audience physically relocated to different places in the room to
visually demonstrate how the present governance structure, with its good and bad points, operates. Ed’s
teaching style, allowing for movement and dialogue, certainly made it very clear that changes are necessary to
our present structure. Ed has written a report for Ostomy Canada on this topic.
(Cont’d on page 4)
Page 4
Ostomy Canada Connects
Cont’d from Page 3
3. Chapter finances, fundraising, and record-keeping
Panel: Steve Maybee, Treasurer, Ostomy Canada Society; Wayne Clark, Treasurer, Hamilton
chapter; and Les Kehoe, Past President, UOA
Financially speaking, well-managed chapters fare better. They have the resources to advertise, produce better
newsletters, pamphlets, and develop new programs. Most chapters are really into fund raising, other’s can’t
get the volunteers to participate, so don’t do anything. Steve Maybee indicated that chapters who need
money for specific projects should consider submitting a “Budget Amendment Form” found in the Chapter
Handbook. Learning how to economize, is a way of increasing revenue. For example, involving the local
Cancer Society or high school to do the newsletter printing. John Molnar suggested “Magic Jack”, a
computer telephone device for Canadian phone connections that includes emails, that sells for $100 for 5
years- that’s only $20 a year
4. Solving problems - “Brainstorming”
This open forum covered many common problems facing chapters. Among others, these were the common
themes: burn-out of leaders and how to find new leadership candidates, declining membership, aging
members, and improving ET and Chapter relationship.
At the end of the afternoon, it was clear to the organizers and attendees that the event had been a success.
Chapters who wish to hold a Chapter Information Session in their area shouldn’t be afraid to host it. It’s quite
rewarding in the end. Not only does one learn new things, but one gains new friends who have the same goals
and aspirations for a successful support group.
Roger Ivol
Visitor Co-ordinator
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Are you interested? The COSS program needs volunteers. The COSS Administrator position is vacant. Are
you willing to take on the position or share the responsibility with
another person to help run the COSS program and oversee the COSS
Coordinators?
COSS Coordinators work directly with the Chapters in a specific
region. There are eight regions since Ontario is divided into three
areas. Three of these regions: Pacific; South-Western Ontario and
Atlantic, do not have a coordinator to help chapters that are
experiencing difficulties. Are you willing to be a volunteer in this
essential service supporting chapters?
For either position, please email: [email protected]
Ostomy Canada Connects
Page 5
Cont’d on Page 4
Page 6
Ostomy Canada Connects
Cont’d from Page 1
GOVERNANCE:
Administrator: Andrew
Borrill
BYLAWS:
Ed Tummers (Leader)
Carol Wells, Lorrie Pismenny
(Members)
MEMBERSHIP:
Andrea Manson (Leader)
Debra Terryberry, Jim
Fitzgerald (Members)
NATIONAL OFFICE:
Steve Maybee (Leader)
Ann Ivol, Carole Pew
(Members)
NOMINATIONS &
ELECTIONS:
Ann Ivol (Leader)
POLICIES &
PROCEDURRES:
Andrew Borrill (Leader)
Rosemary Gaffray, Debra
Terryberry (Members)
STRATEGIC PLANNING
(ANNUAL OPERATIONAL
PLAN)
Executive Committee (Leader)
Board of Directors, UOAC
Office (Members)
Annual Operational Plan:
National Office.
PRIVACY:
Ian MacNeil (Leader)
Governance Advisory
Working Gr oup
Ann Ivol (Leader)
Steve Maybee, Ed Tummers,
Representatives from Member
Chapters (Members)
Peer Support Group Pilot
Project:
Ed Tummers
(Leader)
Steve Maybee, Roger Ivol,
Richard Olley (Members)
Finance & Fundraising:
Administrator: Steve Maybee
Cont’d on Page 8
Editor’s Report
World Ostomy Day is over.
The Stoma Stroll of Ostomy Canada Society drew several
participating chapters who created awareness for our society
and for ostomates everywhere.
In Halifax, we met at the Halifax Public Gardens, one of the
crown jewels of our wonderful city.
The day was gray. It was the fourth consecutive day of grayness, of cloud, rain,
drizzle, mist and generally wet precipitation. Ask yourself, would precipitation be
anything than wet? Well, it was also damp, wet, raw, cool and even yucky on
October 3.
Yet more than 40 hardy souls used their soles
to walk around the Gardens, usually a
beautiful site in early fall, but ---you know
the drill. Damp, wet, raw, cool and yucky.
We strolled, ambled, loafed our way along,
seniors, juniors and a few in the middle. We
covered the perimeter of the Gardens, a total
of 17 kilometers, give or take 16.5 or so.
By the time we returned to the main gates,
where we had set up our greeting station, a
celebratory cake was ready for cutting, Oreo cookies set for munching and even
Nova Scotia McIntosh apples prepped for crunching.
Despite the weather (did I mention it was damp, wet, raw, cool and yucky?),
everyone enjoyed the socialization and even spread the word about ostomies to a
few visitors who stopped at our welcome table to ask what we were promoting.
We even convinced several people to have Ostomy surgery because they saw how
much we were enjoying life – KIDDING!!
But we did let a few unaware folk know who we were and why we were there and
they paid rapt attention.
I hope other Strolls across the country had the same sense of joy and camaraderie
that we did in Halifax.
And, by the way, I hope, too, you filled a few moneybags with loot that will assist
Ostomy Canada Society in its efforts to promote what we do
for so many across our country.
Joel Jacobson
Ostomy Canada Connects
Peg Board
LOOK FOR UNSUNG HEROES IN YOUR
CHAPTERS. LET'S HONOUR
THEM BY TELLING US WHAT
THEY DO.
Surely there have to be men and women in your
chapters who are doing all the little things that make
the chapter tick. Email Joel Jacobson, Ostomy Canada
Connects editor, through the national office email at
[email protected] with their story.
Page 7
Page 8
Ostomy Canada Connects
Cont’d from Page 6
FINANCE & FUNDRAISING:
BURSARY:
Rosemary Gaffray.
(Leader)
Lorrie Pismenny, Andrea Manson, Steve Maybee
FINANCE:
Steve Maybee (Leader)
Donate to Ostomy Canada Society
We have signed up to receive donations online through CanadaHelps.org. This is a handy way for you to make a donation without even leaving the comfort of your computer chair. Simply visit
our website at: http://www.ostomycanada.ca/ and click on the image
that looks like this:
Executive Committee (Member)
FUNDRAISING (Stoma Stroll)
Paquet, Peter Folk (Members)
This will bring up a secure website that will allow you to enter your
credit card or PayPal information. Canada Helps will issue a donation receipt right away and email it to you.
FUNDS ADVISORY:
Have you set up your 2015 monthly donations yet?
Steve Maybee. (Leader. )
Set it and forget it. Here’s how:
Andrew Borrill.
1. Set up or log into your CanadaHelps MyCanadaHelps account.
Remember that you need to save a credit card on file for monthly
donation!
Andrea Manson (Leader)
Jim Fitzgerald, Lisa Gausman, Steve Maybee, Janet
(Member)
INSURANCE
Steve Maybee.
(Leader)
Andrew Borrill.
(Member)
2. Click the Monthly Giving tab.
ADVOCACY:
Jim Fitzgerald:
Administrator
ADVOCACY
Jim Fitzgerald
4. Click DONATE MONTHLY.
5. Enter the details of your monthly donation.
(Leader)
Lorrie Pismenny, Ian MacNeil
3. Search for Ostomy Canada Society Inc.
(Members)\
CHAPTER OUTREACH SUPPORT SERVICES
(COSS):
Administrator: Vacant..
Pacific-Vacant
Prairies– Gerald Dakiniewich
Visit our donation page: http://www.ostomycanada.ca/donations
You can now donate by cheque. Visit our donation page:
http://www.ostomycanada.ca/donations and download and print the
new donation form.
Northern Ontario– Richard Olley.
South-Central Ontario — Roger Ivol
Quebec– Jean-Pierre Lapointe
Atlantic-Vacant
Newfoundland & Labrador— Ken Hayward.
CONFERENCE:
Administrator: Rosemary Gaffray.
Chairperson: Lorrie Pismenny
INTERNATION RELATIONS:
Pat Cimmeck (Leader)
Lisa Gausman (Member)
PUBLIC AWARENESS (COD & WOD):
Andrea Manson (Leader)
Carol Wells, Lorrie Pismenny (Members)
You can now fundraise for Ostomy Canada Society through Canadahelps.org. Visit our donation page:
http://www.ostomycanada.ca/donations and click on the image below:
Ostomy Canada Connects
Page 9
Chapter Information on the Website
Did you know that our website www.ostomycanada.ca had one million hits last year? A lot of the visitors visited the website to look for a support group in their area. Therefore, it is important that this information be
kept up to date! Make sure when sending the information in to the Ostomy Canada Society office that the
chapters’ contact information is current - phone number, email contact, newsletter availability, website, annual
dues, meeting dates and times. Visit our chapters page on our website at
http://www.ostomycanada.ca/support/canadian-chapters/ and let the Ostomy Canada Society Inc. know via
email if any of the information needs to be updated. We’ve had at least one chapter past president contact the
office to tell us that the website still included their phone number instead of the current president. Please check
your chapter’s listing to make sure the updates have been done correctly!
Upcoming Events:
Note: If your chapter has an upcoming event that you would like added here or on the national website, please
email the details to Carol Wells through the national office email.
Want to promote your chapter meetings? Your ostomy days? Send your information to
[email protected] and we will put it on our website under the events tab.

October 21, 2015
Healthy Stoma Day Chapter # 604 & Lawton's Home Health, Topsail Road
St. John’s, NL

June 4-6, 2016:
CAET/WOCN joint conference at the Palais Congrès Montreal

August 17-21, 2016:
Biennial Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
about Ostomy Canada Society’s Youth Camp?
The Ostomy Canada Society’s Youth Camp is held at Camp
Horizon, Bragg Creek, Alta. (southwest of Calgary). The camp
provides an opportunity for young people aged 9—18 with
consideration to emotional growth and maturity, who have
ostomies or other special related needs. Individual ET and
Ostomy Canada Society counselling on physical and
psychosocial needs is provided.
Activities include: formal/informal education sessions;
swimming; camp out; outdoor recreation; rafting; arts &
crafts; dance; rap sessions.
Camp has increased from 70 spots to 90. This
summer, 48 ostomy campers partnered with campers from Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada for a funfilled week. Pat Cimmeck, Camp Director, said it was a “very good fit”. Check out the pictures and watch
the super great video by clicking on the link below.
More Youth Camp pictures:
Page 10
Ostomy Canada Connects
Jokes for Today
ADP INITIATIVE COMMITTEE:
Jim Fitzgerald (Leader)
Ian MacNeil, Richard Olley (Members)
A Young Man’s Interview
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "And what starting salary are you looking
for?" The engineer replies, "In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The interviewer inquires,
"Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation,
14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every
two years, say, a red Corvette?" The engineer sits up straight and
says, "Wow! Are you kidding?" The interviewer replies, "Yeah,
but you started it."
MARKETING & COMMUNICATION
Administrator: Debra Terryberry
OSTOMY CANADA CONNECTS:
Carol Wells: (Leader)
Lorrie Pismenny, Joel Jacobson, National Office (Members)
OSTOMY CANADA MAGAZINE:
Lisa Gausman (Leader)
Lorne Aronson (Advertising), Elizabeth Lindner,
UOAC Office (Members)
PUBLICATIONS:
Debra Terryberry (Leader)
The Lawyer and the Officer
A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff. He
thinks he's smarter being a big shot lawyer from New York and
has a better education than an sheriff from West Virginia. The
sheriff asks for license and registration. The lawyer asks, "What
for?" The sheriff responds, "You didn't come to a complete stop
at the stop sign." The lawyer says, "I slowed down and no one
was coming." "You still didn't come to a complete stop. License
and registration please," say the sheriff impatiently. The lawyer
says, "If you can show me the legal difference between slow
down and stop, I'll give you my license and registration and you
can give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the
ticket." The sheriff says, "That sounds fair, please exit your vehicle." The lawyer steps out and the sheriff takes out his nightstick
and starts beating the lawyer with it. The sheriff says, "Do you
want me to stop or just slow down?"
Joel Jacobson, Andrea Manson (Members)
SOCIAL MEDIA / WEBSITE:
Peter Folk, (Leader)
Angie Schickerowski (webmaster), Andrea Manson, Lisa
Gausman,
OUTREACH
Administrator: Andy Manson
AWARDS :
Lorrie Pismenny (Leader)
Ann Ivol
(Member)
PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AN OSTOMY
Cory Steward Dorosh
(Leader)
Madeleine Hamilton, Kathy Hedin (Members)
PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY :
Andrea Manson
(Leader)
The Factory Worker and the Boss
Partners: (Industry, Medical, Others): Delilah Guy, Jo-Ann
Tremblay, Rory Horstein RD, Julie Singer, Shabita Teja, Karen
Bruton RN, BScN, MCISc-WH CETN (C ),
Two factory workers are talking. The woman says, "I can make
the boss give me the day off." The man replies, "And how would
you do that?" The woman says, "Just wait and see." She then
hangs upside down from the ceiling. The boss comes in and says,
"What are you doing?" The woman replies, "I'm a light bulb."
The boss then says, "You've been working so much that you've
gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off." The man starts
to follow her and the boss says, "Where are you going?" The man
says, "I'm going home, too. I can't work in the dark."
Contacts from: Hollister, ConvaTec, Salts, current CAET
President; contacts from Crohn’s and Colitis; Colorectal Cancer
Assoc.; Bladder Cancer Canada, etc.
OSTOMY CANADA YOUTH CAMP:
Pat Cimmeck (Camp Administrator)
Lisa Gausman, Karen Spencer, Jason Boyd (Members)
SASO:
Vacant
VISITING PROGRAM:
Ed. Tummers (Leader)
20/40:
Angie Schickerowski (Leader)
Ostomy Canada Connects
Page 11
HELP US GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT
THE COST OF OSTOMY SUPPLIES IN CANADA
Open to all Canadian Ostomates!
Online questionnaire coming September 28 – Let your voice be
heard. Go online and fill out the 10 question survey.
September 28 to August 31, 2016
Online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X7FCDYX or
http://www.ostomycanada.ca/survey/
For those that want to do the survey in French, the links are:
https://fr.surveymonkey.com/s/97NW72R or
http://www.ostomycanada.ca/survey-french/