These are the bags and devices patients use after they have had surgery on their bowels or bladders, leaving them with the need to collect their waste in a device attached to their bodies. In the UK these are provided by the NHS. In poorer countries the patient has to pay for them and often they are in very poor supply, so the price of the items is beyond most peoples wages. Without these bags the patients are effectively housebound and there life is very desperate.

There are many reasons why someone might need to have colostomy surgery, including:-

 Colostomy bags are very expensive, in the unlikely event that the local pharmacy would have them in stock. Imagine the humiliation if you couldn’t get one and had to make your own out of leaky carrier bags – something that frequently happens in poorer countries. We have seen one young teenage boy using a tin can that he strapped to his belly.

Jacob’s Well helps people, particularly in West Africa and Moldova by sending the ostomy supplies that otherwise they would not have, enabling patients to live a dignified life. We are very grateful to receive any donation of unwanted Ostomy products including pouches (even if they have been pre-cut) and accessories. We can also accept lotions, powders, gels and wipes – provided they are unopened.

You can either post them via the post office, using www.parcelmonkey.co.uk or www.myhermes.co.uk which usually works out cheaper for items over 2kg.  They can come and pick up the item from your home and courier it to us.