I made a decision early on to educate my clients at the salon about the importance of colonoscopies, and I have never stopped. These days I talk to large audiences instead of one on one. I am even in a PSA commercial about colonoscopies that plays every March on several stations in Minnesota. One morning a TSA officer said to me, “Didn’t I see you on TV today?” Another time, I was in Target shopping and the cashier asked me the same thing. But the funniest time was in a car with several writers who I’d never met before. We all ended up talking about our books and when I mentioned bowels and ostomies, one of them said, “Have you seen that funny commercial with the comedian talking about her butt?” My friend said, “You’re sitting next to her!” You can see it on my website at livingandlaughing.com. That’s enough fame for me! If I can convince people to get their colonoscopies my mission is fulfilled.

On my one-year anniversary of finding out I had cancer, I was working late in my hair salon when my father called to say, “Do you remember what happened a year ago on this day?” “Yes, I do, I was just thinking about that,” I said. I was glad it was acknowledged, and then regretted not planning something special to celebrate. Just then I heard music outside. It was two men in full Scottish regalia practicing their bagpipes. I invited them in from the cold to practice in my hair salon. My regrets left as they played, “Amazing Grace” and went on their way. On the actual one-year anniversary of my colostomy surgery, October 24, I decided to call my dad. “Hi Dad, do you know what happened one year ago today?” “Nope, what?” he asked. “It was the last time I wiped my butt!” We both had a laugh about yet another advantage of ostomy surgery.

This Ostomy Awareness Day, there will be Run for Resilience Ostomy 5K races around the country. I personally know how crucial it is to raise ostomy awareness. I’ve written books about it, talked in front of crowds large and small, and have been interviewed for papers and TV countless times.

For twenty years now I have been spreading awareness about ostomies and their importance. Not only do they enhance the lives of people with bowel diseases, but also save the lives of those with cancers and other reasons bowels go berserk.

We, the people with ostomies, should celebrate each day, even with skin issues, pouch problems and self-esteem challenges. Many people do well with their ostomies and carry on with all the fun things they did before they had it. We are grateful every day for ostomy awareness. It means we’re still living, loving and laughing. What else do we need? Okay, a good pouch system always helps.