People with stoma bags encouraged to swim

Patients who have stoma bags are being offered special swimming sessions to improve their confidence and physical health.

The Royal United Hospital (RUH), in Bath, acknowledged patients can be cautious about getting back in the pool after a stoma has been fitted, and are concerned about it leaking or people staring at them.

Healthcare assistant Fiona Rogers, who runs the sessions, said having a stoma marked "a change in your life... but it doesn't stop you from doing anything".

"Many stoma patients avoid swimming due to lack of confidence, worried about their bags leaking and what other people think of them," says Stoma nurse Helen Applegate. "It is amazing just watching their confidence grow."

The RUH is now hoping to encourage other NHS trusts to offer something similar to their stoma patients.

Claire, who has Crohn's Disease, had a stoma bag fitted more than 10 years ago, following several hospital admissions, and is one of those who has benefitted from the sessions.

"I don't think I would worry about going to a normal pool now because I've done this," she says.

The sessions even gave her the confidence to travel to Iceland and try out a geothermal pool: "I don't think I would have done that if I hadn't have come to one of these sessions last year."

"Your anticipation of things is almost always worse worse than the reality, isn't it?"

Philip Cook, nicknamed Cookie, is recovering from cancer and had a stoma bag fitted a few months ago. He has also attended the sessions.

"I didn't have any options - it was either have the cancer removed and have a bag, or die," he says.

"So yeah, I had the surgery in March, and now I'm swimming, cycling... living the dream, and loving it!"

His wife, Sally, hopes his newfound confidence will inspire others with stoma bags not to be ashamed to show their bags.

"It's a big thing to come out and jump in a pool when you're wearing a stoma bag" she says.

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