Ostomate

Roy and Janet Yaki have been married for a long time. In fact, long enough to have children and grandchildren.

When wife Janet was diagnosed with cancer of the colon in 2009, Roy was there through the time of her surgery, her recovery phase and months of trying to adjust to normal life as an Ostomate.

This was a new life for both, because being an Ostomate, Janet now discharges wastes through an artificial opening in her body created surgically. She needs a colostomy bag at all times, to collect her body’s waste products.

An Ostomate is a person who has undergone a surgical procedure to create an opening in the body called a stoma, used to discharge waste. 

Janet Yaki, an Ostomate herself, registered the PNG Stoma Association in 2011 to be a voice and vehicle of Ostomates in the country.

Their theme this year is “Many stories, One Voice!”

But to this day, Yaki is the only Ostomate pushing the association forward.

“It is still very hard for Ostomates to find the courage to come out because of the stigma that surrounds them,” she said.

Ostomates are always considering this when out in public.

They are in this situation due to bowel cancer or accidents forcing them to remove waste through an artificial opening called stoma.

But lack of supplies (colostomy bags) and less knowledge sees Ostomates in PNG using other things such as diapers and shopping bags or refusing to move around in public places to avoid embarrassment.

Greg Neville, Managing Director of Matrix Constructions PNG has been supporting the PNG Stoma Foundation to give them a better life.

The dinner which was initially scheduled for October 5 but deferred is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser hosted in the past five years.

The Stoma association, formed by ostomate Janet Yaki is dedicated to assisting other ostomates in the country live normal lives .

It receives assistance from various charities and groups.

The fundraising dinner is aimed at raising funds to assist establish a specialist centre in the country, one that will cost more than K1.5 million.

An Ostomate is a person who has undergone a surgical procedure to create an opening in the body that will be used to discharge wastes.

Due to the condition and area that requires medical attention, an ostomate requires special attention.

Thus, the PNG Stoma Association, since its inception five years ago, has been pushing for a specialist centre, but one that may cost the association more than K1.5 million.