June is enjoying living life to the full

THE reality of stoma surgery and living with its effects can be a daunting prospect.

Yet many of the hundreds of Oldham people who have a stoma refuse to let it prevent them living their lives the way they want.

One of those people is June Wilde, and her indomitable attitude to life led her to offer a helping hand to others in the same situation.

She told Marina Berry how she can help.


WHEN a hysterectomy went wrong for June Wilde, and she was left with bowel problems, she was faced with a difficult decision.

Action had to be taken to prevent the danger of infection, and she had the choice of a bowel repair or a colostomy.

“I didn’t want to go through major surgery, and I thought I could live with a stoma, so I went for that,” she said.

A stoma is a surgically created opening of the bowel or urinary tract on to the body surface to collect body waste and fluids.

And a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy are all different methods of collecting waste.

June had a colostomy, and right from the word go she was determined it would not stop her living life to the full.

That was 10 years ago, she was 59, and looking forward to celebrating retirement by treating her family to a trip to Australia to visit relatives.

Just six months after the operation, she boarded a plane for a 141/2-hour flight to Singapore and a three-day break, before making the second leg of the journey to Oz.

She travelled on several internal flights before flying home, and June recalled, “I didn’t have one single problem.”

Her resolve to enjoy a “normal life” made June an ideal candidate to help others who were less positive about the future.

So she volunteered to be the first chairman of a stoma support group formed 10 years ago — a position she still holds.

The group was set up by senior stoma nurse Helen Wrench and her colleague, stoma nurse Gill Wood, and June is still adamant about her message: “Nothing needs to change in the way you live, you can still live as you did before the operation”

June, who has a daughter, two grandsons and two great-grandsons, is keen to tell people who are less confident about living with a stoma how she refuses to let it affect her busy life.

She goes tap dancing, helps out at Oldham Cancer Support Centre, works at the RSPCA charity shop in Springhead and helps at a charity shop which raises money for St Mary’s Church restoration fund.

“Showing people I am confident to get out in this world and do what I want to do is half the battle. The group is here to set people on the road to getting their head around living with a stoma,” she explained.

“Some people don’t realise there are many different products available and if they are not happy with what they have they should try others until they find something they are confident with.”

Over the last decade, the group has helped and supported hundreds of people, both those who are learning to live with a stoma, and their friends and family, who are all welcomed at meetings.

It currently has 80 members, although not all attend every meeting.

June explained that meetings were not only informative, but gave people the chance to talk to each other about problems, and to find out how others cope with similar situations.

She explained: “We always have an appliance supplier present to show people the latest appliances, and we usually have a speaker, such as a dietician or physiotherapist.”

The Oldham support group is something of a rarity, and June said members come from as far as Manchester, Bury, Radcliffe and Denton because there is no similar support available nearer to their homes.

She added: “Everyone enjoys the meetings and we try to put new people at ease and build up their confidence in having a stoma. We also have informal chats between new patients and old alike, and if anyone has a problem we will ensure that they are able to talk to someone who has been in a similar position.”

Helen Wrench, team leader of Oldham’s continence and stoma nursing service, explained: “Many people in Oldham who undergo stoma surgery have no idea about the support available to make life easier.”

She urged them to consider joining the support group, which is run in partnership between patients and health practitioners.

She added: “It allows people to meet and discuss issues with others in a similar situation and to talk through any concerns or problems with health practitioners.

“The group also organises social trips to a variety of places, and people can also find out more about the wide range of stoma-related products available from the manufacturing and service supply industry.”




The group meets on the first Tuesday of every second month and the next general meeting, is on February 2 at the Link Centre, Union Street, Oldham, from 7 to 9pm.



To find out more, contact June on 0161-678 7086 or Helen on 0161-621 7203.