A quickie from me today, just to mark the occasion!

“This bag is the reason I’m still here.”

It’s a sentence I’ve said many times, but the weight of it never lessens. While my ostomy saved my life, survival doesn’t automatically erase the struggle that comes with it.

Over the years, I’ve been open about my journey as an ostomate. I’ve shared the raw parts—grieving the life I thought I’d have, navigating the trauma of emergency surgeries, and the mental load of adapting to a body that functions differently. But I’ve also shared the resilience that surfaces when you have no choice but to keep going.

Our journeys are all unique. This is why visibility is so vital. When we share our lives with a stoma, we aren’t just posting pictures; we are making the invisible, visible. We are highlighting that invisible disabilities are real, valid, and deserve support.

Whether your story is one of newfound courage or one of quiet regret and despair, it is valid. This year’s theme, “#InvisibleDisabilities: Visible Support – The Global Unity of Ostomates,” reminds us that an ostomy is just one small part of a human being whose life matters.

By coming together, we create the connection we all deserve. We move from just “surviving” to being seen.