Acceptance Is Key: Three Part Series - Part 2
Stanley Cooper and his son during Christmas season
Ostomy: A Blip on the Radar for This 30-Year Ostomate Veteran
For Stanley Cooper having an ostomy surgery was a “one and done” event. He couldn’t wait to get back to work following his surgery.
That surgery was in 1992, six years after he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Those six years were filled with severe bouts of pain. Finally, surgery—a Brooke ileostomy—became the only answer. His take charge attitude hasn’t changed one bit since then.
In fact, he served as a board member for a Philadelphia Ostomy Support Group for 30 years and has been involved with a visiting chairperson program at Rutgers. Only recently, he’s found it necessary to opt out of those roles since his wife has had some medical issues and needs some help with transportation to medical appointments.
Bottom line, he’s always enjoyed supporting patients, helping them gain information about devices and ancillary products that are best suited to their unique situation. And, though he’s not one to showcase his ostomy, he talks openly about it when asked. He’s never worn any special clothing nor let it deter him from any activity.
He tells the story of working at a church event and experiencing a leakage. He called his wife and asked that she briefly take over for him at the booth he was managing. He made a quick trip home, showered, changed, and readjusted his ostomy and was back at his post at the church event in no time.
Laughter, which punctuated his recounting of this story, comes easily to him when it comes to ostomy. He’s a fervent believer in humor related to the subject. When active in the Philadelphia group he had several speakers attend who shared “funny stuff ... really funny stuff” about wearing an ostomy up to and including singing a song about the topic.
“Humor is a way to put people at ease.” He says the schtick can be hilarious. Plus, “the more the subject is out in the open, the more everyone wins.”
There are so many commercials about Crohn’s disease and colitis on TV that the subject has become more commonplace today, he says. That said, he doesn’t have to look at anyone’s ostomy. “I have one of my own,” he jokes. He understands, though, why some people need to showcase it. Basically, this normalizes it. It’s a way of getting support and approval.”
Perhaps more than anything else, he’s grateful. Ostomy gave me my life back. “Yeah, sometimes it’s difficult managing it in the middle of the night, but you just have to deal.”
And Stanley intends to live his life to the fullest. In fact, for the last three years he’s played Santa at Kohl’s and at the Northwest Stables, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. He says he gets such a kick out of seeing the smiles of the kids.
As for Stanley AKA Santa. He’s sporting a big smile himself.
Written by Barbara Mannino
Writer, Speaker, Brand Storyteller and Content Marketing Consultant
www.barbaramannino.com