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I think the groundhog may have been mixed up with saying an early spring - I heard on
the radio that we can expect snow into April and that's not what I was hoping for!
On March 9, Amy Taylor-Metropoulos and myself will be giving a cheque for $15k to the Mount Sinai Hospital's 14 south G.I. surgery floor. We will be meeting with the floor manager and the ET nurse, Monica and Julie, to see how the money would be best used to help improve the stay for the patients.
We will be having one meeting in March after I return from Cuba. I will make
sure to share some pictures of my trip! The meeting will be held Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 7:30pm.
I'm always looking for your input and thoughts on what ostomy Toronto can and should be doing so if you have any suggestions please contact me so we can explore ideas on making ostomy Toronto bigger and better!
Try to stay warm during these crazy weather days soon we'll be complaining that it's to hot out.
Thanks for your support
Jim Fitzgerald
President
Ostomy Toronto
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Ostomy Toronto Monthly Meeting: March |
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Join Ostomy Toronto for our Monthly Meeting, on Tuesday, March 28 at 7:30pm. All are welcome!
You're invited to join an online meeting:
Title: Ostomy Toronto's Monthly Meeting
Time: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 7:30 PM
Click here for meeting info & links
Hope to see you there!
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REMINDER: we have switched back to Zoom for our monthly meetings. |
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Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month |
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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - wear blue on Friday, March 3 to show your support and help raise awareness!
Where to get screened:
Screening for Colorectal Cancer
"The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is a screening test for people at average risk of getting colorectal cancer. FIT is now used instead of the guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT), which used to be Ontario’s colorectal cancer screening test. As of December 24, 2019, labs in Ontario will no longer test ColonCancerCheck gFOBT kits.
See Where to Get Screened to learn more.
Cancer screening is testing done on people who are at risk of getting cancer, but who have no symptoms and generally feel fine.
Colorectal cancer screening increases the chance of finding cancer early when it is more likely to be cured. When colorectal cancer is caught early, 9 out of 10 people can be cured. If you have colorectal cancer and do not get screened, you may miss the chance for early and more effective treatment.
The kind of screening test you get depends on whether you are at average risk of getting colorectal cancer or at increased risk of getting colorectal cancer.
Someone is at average risk if they are 50 to 74 years old with no first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Someone is at increased risk if they have a family history of colorectal cancer that includes 1 or more first-degree relatives (parent, sibling or child) with the disease."
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Feature Friday: Allison Rosen |
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In honour or Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we're featuring Colorectal Cancer Survivor and patient advocate, Allison Rosen.
Allison (aka @alicat380 on instagram) shares:
"
As March starts and the colorectal cancer community works together to spread more awareness, tell even more patient stories and highlights more research happening I cannot forgot the simple things like the fact that I AM ALIVE.
Not only am I alive I am thriving! There is the distant memory of crying myself to sleep wanting the pain to go away
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and I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Then something magic happened and I met my blue family! I met patients, caregivers, advocates, non-profits, researchers, and so many others dedicated to spreading awareness and helping those that felt list, like myself!
Once I found my community my life changed forever! I found my home, my best friends, my support system! I finally did not feel alone and once I was better I was determined to do that for others! Help in any way I could!
I get emails, texts, and messages daily and I always take time to answer when a stranger about to embark on their cancer journey needs me b/c I needed someone a few years ago and a perfect stranger helped me!
I’ll be posting facts, figures, videos, dances, etc.to help spread awareness for #colorectalcancer and I hope you will join me. That could be by simply wearing blue this Friday for Dress in Blue Day, or getting your colonoscopy if you are 45 or older, or by just by reading the colorectal facts I post and hopefully learning something!
Let’s work together to spread awareness and save lives!"
Get screened! Find a colorectal cancer screening program in Ontario HERE
If you would like to share something about your life as an ostomate, tag @ostomytoronto in your social media posts, or email info@ostomytoronto.com.
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Ostomy Toronto Day Camp Program |
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in partnership with The City of Toronto and OLG. |
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Ostomy Toronto will pay up to $1000 for a child with an ostomy or Jpouch to attend any day camp of their choice! Spots are limited, and on a first-come first-served basis. Qualifying requirements apply.
The qualifying requirements:
- Must be a resident of Toronto (requires proof of address)
- Must be 18 or younger (requires proof of age)
- Must have an ostomy or jpouch
(requires written note from a doctor, ET nurse, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse)
- Agree to provide pictures and and short report written by the parents on how camp was for the child
- Agree to join the Ostomy Toronto email list for meetings and other notices
- Complete application in full
All these requirements must be fulfilled in order to be approved for the day camp program.
Please send application or questions to ostomytorontodaycamp@gmail.com |
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Membership Renewal Reminder |
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Ostomy Toronto hopes to continue to give back to this community. Your donations help! We are looking forward to your positive response of a donation of $40.00 towards your annual membership. With your membership, you receive 2 great issues of Ostomy Canada magazine (summer and winter). These issues include inspirational stories, new and innovative product information, and upcoming events in the community. There are so many other benefits to membership that are coming in the next 12 months!
In order to renew your membership, please make your cheque or money order, payable to Ostomy Toronto and mail it along with your name, address, email and phone number to the address below. We would love to receive your donation before February 28. This will help us prepare for our planned launches throughout 2023!
OSTOMY TORONTO
PO Box 38627 RPO Cummer
North York, Ontario
M2K 2Y5 Canada |
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Reminder: Virtual Meetings on Zoom |
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After listening to you, our members and followers, we have made the decision to switch back to Zoom for our monthly meetings. We hope this change will allow you to attend more often and be provided the support that is required.
This change will be permanent througout January and the rest of 2023. |
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Reminder: Monthly Meeting Invitations |
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These emails will
only be sent the mornings of each Monthly Meeting, and Monthly Open Forum/Peer Support Meeting. The emails will only contain the information required to sign in and attend the Ostomy Toronto Meetings.
Please note: If you currently subscribe to our monthly newsletter, you will not be automatically subscribed to these email invitations, you will have to enter your name and email address HERE.
*If you have previously signed up for these invitation emails, you do not need to sign up again.
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Jim Fitzgerald, President
Amy Taylor-Mitropoulos, Treasurer
Sue Ono, Bookkeeper
Urooba Ahad, Director
Glen D'Silva, Director
Michele Smith, Director
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Amanda Caristo, Social Media/Web Manager
Antonio Pergola, Bingo Volunteer
Linda Hurren, Bingo Volunteer
Jennifer Burnett, Bingo Volunteer
Melissa Aman, Bingo Volunteer
Cindy Zuccaro, Bingo Volunteer
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DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this Newsletter is presented for informational purposes only. None of the information is a substitute for professional medical care, attention by a qualified practitioner, or product information that can be gained from an ostomy product distributor, manufacturer or management professional, and under no circumstances may it be relied upon as such. Always check with your doctor or Enterostomal Nurse if you have any questions or concerns about your condition or if you are about to start a new program of treatment or management. Ostomy Toronto and the editors of this Newsletter are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any form of damages whatsoever resulting from the use (or misuse) of information contained in or implied by this Newsletter.
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