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Schedule of  Upcoming Meetings

      • (Virtual) April 11th, 2023 07:00 PM Pacific Time
        • Zoom Meeting. For more information please contact support@svosg.org or call (408) 365-4452
        • With COVID-19 health measures currently in place, meetings are virtual until further notice. In-person meetings will be re-visited as an option in 2023.

What Happened at our March 14th Virtual Meeting

Coming soon…

What Happened at our February 14th Virtual Meeting

Happy Valentines Day

The February 14th meeting was called to order at 7:07 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 21 people were in attendance for the meeting.

Tonight, was a first for the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group. Joining us was Cheryl Ory, President of the United Ostomy Associations of America, (UOAA).

Welcome Friends

I’m so pleased to write to you as the new President of UOAA. I’m a colorectal cancer survivor and have had a permanent colostomy since 2008. Since then I have found friendships, comfort, education and support through UOAA. 

I’m a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and the mother of three daughters and seven grandchildren. I have been a nurse for 26 years, primarily in Neonatal Intensive Care. I’m the coauthor of a book entitled “Disconnected – A True Hurricane Katrina Story”. Some of my other interests include; traveling, gardening, spending time with family, and photography.

All of us at UOAA look forward to hearing from you as we start a strategic plan in 2023 to help strengthen the work, we do together for the ostomy community. Please know you are always welcome to contact me at cheryl.ory@ostomy.org with any concerns or ideas you may have. 

Happy New Year and thanks for being a part of our community!

Cheryl Ory

UOAA President

Cheryl explained to us what she wants to do to make UOAA better. Strengthen the Support Groups throughout America. To improve the many committees within UOAA and improve UOAA Advocacy.

UOA was the original organization and that changed into UOAA officially in 2005.  Take a look at www.Ostomy.org for information about Ostomates and things you can do with one!

Cheryl talked about the upcoming National Conference in Houston slated for August 10-12. To help, UOAA has offered a scholarship for the conference.

SPECIAL EVENT

JOIN US FOR UOAA’S 8TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Discover your people at our National Conference. Free Stoma Clinic, Ask Questions of Ostomy Experts, Ostomy Product Exhibit Hall, Social Events and more!

CONFERENCE Attendee
REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES SCHOLARSHIP 

  • UOAA’s Conference Attendee Reimbursement of Expenses Scholarship (CARES) is designed to help first time UOAA National Conference attendees defray costs associated with travel and accommodations that would otherwise be unable to attend. Recipients of the Scholarship will also receive one complimentary registration. Requirements to apply include the following:
  • Applicants must be an Ostomy/Continent Diversion patient and a member of a UOAA Affiliated Support Group or an Individual UOAA National Member.
  • Must be a first time National Conference attendee.
  • Selection preference will be given to those with recent surgery, preferably within two years prior to the conference.
  • Please note UOAA is accepting applications through Monday, April 17, 2023. Recipients will be notified on Monday, May 8, 2023.

Cheryl talked about the information that you will find at WWW.Ostomy.ORG. Take a look here and you will be amazed at what is available.

After we looked at her presentation, Cheryl took questions from our group. This session was very informative for everyone. A couple of questions came up that needed to be looked into. Cheryl is going to do that and get back to the person who asked. Should you have a question for Cheryl, please note her email address.

I will be including in the minutes, our planned schedule for the rest of the year. Please note the 7th Annual “Be Strong, Live Long Health” Health & Wellness Fair Slated for Friday, May 19th. Virginia was instrumental in this and left me with a lot of the various items she handed out at the Fair. Lunch is provided. We need at least two people for this. We really need your help to make this successful. It is an opportunity to share with people what life is with an ostomy. Raji has volunteered but she would like someone to join her. This is an opportunity to talk to a lot of people who will have a lot of questions about Ostomies. Please join her. Virginia loved it. This year, Virginia has moved to Portugal and can’t make it this year!

Meeting Adjourned at 8:36 pm

Respectfully Submitted,

Dave Bunger – Secretary – Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group

What Happened at our January 10th Virtual Meeting

The January 10th meeting was called to order at 7:04 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 15 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we did not have a speaker. The plan was a Round Robin discussion involving our members. This is an opportunity to share what is working, what is not and to offer suggestions to others about issues that have come up with in the last several months.

Also, the is the month to remind everyone that it is time for our dues. We voted to assess ourselves $20.00 each year. This helps the group pay for the items that come up during the year. Please send your check, made out to the SVOSG to our Treasurer, Annette.

Our Round Robin began with Crystal explaining that she is having some issues and will be needing to see a doctor in the near future.

Harriet told us about some of her concerns, she does not like cutting base plates to fit her stoma.

I want to thank her for giving us a name for a potential speaker in the future. Natalie is a BSN, RN, CWOCN north from here. I have sent Natalie an email asking her to speak at a future meeting.

S – told us about some of the issues she has had to deal with. She worked in a hospital and was able to view some of the items the surgeon removed from her, how many ostomates get to see their insides? We are happy to report, she is doing quite well!

C – told us she had graduated from Berkeley last May and is looking to get her Master’s degree so she can teach. She mentioned several schools she is looking at.

M- let us know that things were going along quite nicely.

S -told us about his journey that led to surgery. That occurred in 2013, and he is doing fine since. Being an engineer, his video tonight was almost psychedelic as the colors flashed from his screen, but being an engineer, he quickly figured it out!

J-told us she hates cutting holes in base plates. A suggestion was made to get a Speedy Sharp, a great tool to sharpen scissors, knives, or anything that needs to be sharpened.

P- was having issues with skin around her stoma. It was suggested to try Marathon by Medline. Designed to protect the skin.

I will be including in the minutes, our planned schedule for the rest of the year. Please note the 7th Annual “Be Strong, Live Long Health” Health & Wellness Fair Slated for Friday, May 19th. Virginia was instrumental in this and left me with a lot of the various items she handed out at the Fair. Lunch is provided. We need at least two people for this. We really need your help to make this successful. It is an opportunity to share with people what life is with an ostomy. Virginia loved it. This year, Virginia has moved to Portugal and can’t make it this year!

Meeting Adjourned at 8:26 pm

Respectfully Submitted,

Dave Bunger – Secretary – Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group