Since 2015, a friend, Jenny, in Ballater has run a Charity called 'A Bear Named Buttony'. She started this after her daughter was born with an illness which meant that she had to have a stoma, and will always have a stoma. Jenny has worked tirelessly on this project and more recently was awarded an MBE for her work. This is a children's charity, and the aim is to lessen the stigma attached to the wearing of a stoma and to try and help children who do have a stoma. They make beautiful bears with stomas, and multi-coloured pouches for stomas which they deliver to hospitals in Scotland. They have also very recently produced a children's book about Buttony Bear - the bear with a stoma - illustrated by a very talented local art graduate, Georgina. I'm currently playing a very small part in the process by cutting out the shapes of the stoma pouches. Every little helps. https://www.buttonybear.com
What a wonderful idea, I love it. Good for you joining in too. A beautiful thing to help. Tough thing when they are only children and other children don't necessarily understand. Cheering you and Buttony Bear on!
What a wonderful lady.. those poor kids. I know exactly what they go through as I had a stoma for 18mnths after bowel surgery but I was lucky I was able to have a reversal..
My younger brother, born in 1952, was not expected to live more than 24 hrs…and if he did would never be like others. My parents, particularly, were dedicated to his cause. Living in the Isle of Man…an island in between the UK and Ireland, appropriate treatment was not available. Mum and Michael made regular visits to Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool for tests etc. M's dread was that he would be kept in Liverpool. Only as an ado, he had a stoma, which enabled him to be more like his peers. As a teenager…and later as an adult, he was one of others like him…enabling new parents to love and understand the child born to them…and the constraints and opportunities that were/are available to them.
If this resonates with you and yours, please enable them to be open to discussion, your support and love…always.
Michael died…just a few weeks after his retirement.
I have never thought ever about children with stomas before, they must be very tricky to live with as a child. Children can be very cruel without thinking about the consequences, Jenny had such a brilliant idea & great that you can help out in this way. The teddy’s sound just wonderful. I must look up this charity.
How fantastic to have a team of helpers involved in this project! I think one of the girls in my last school had one of these bears....or something along the same lines. Great idea!!
January 20th, 2022
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
My younger brother, born in 1952, was not expected to live more than 24 hrs…and if he did would never be like others. My parents, particularly, were dedicated to his cause. Living in the Isle of Man…an island in between the UK and Ireland, appropriate treatment was not available. Mum and Michael made regular visits to Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool for tests etc. M's dread was that he would be kept in Liverpool. Only as an ado, he had a stoma, which enabled him to be more like his peers. As a teenager…and later as an adult, he was one of others like him…enabling new parents to love and understand the child born to them…and the constraints and opportunities that were/are available to them.
If this resonates with you and yours, please enable them to be open to discussion, your support and love…always.
Michael died…just a few weeks after his retirement.
Thats a moving story @s4sayer