Not a me+ member yet?
In 2015, Kimberly was in the midst of cancer treatments, with a bowel perforation and an obstruction that required emergency surgery. She knew she had stage 2 rectal cancer, with a fist-sized tumour in her sigmoid colon. She knew that she’d be coming out of surgery with a temporary six-week stoma. But she didn’t expect to be asked to keep it for two years in case of cancer recurrence. The new Kimberly was going to take some adjustment. And adjust she did.
“I can stand in the mirror and just love on every part of my body, my scars, my bag. Seeing myself and giving thanks for who I am, perfectly imperfect.”
Kimberly Coleman
Waking up from that surgery put Kimberly on an entirely new life trajectory. Her new lease on life empowered her to not only embrace but advocate for self-love and positivity around one’s body image while living with a stoma. In fact, Kimberly is now doing all kinds of things that most people, let alone those with this type of life-altering diagnosis, don’t know is possible.
“It actually helped to save my life. It has given me six extra years with my family, six extra birthdays with all of them, six extra anniversaries with my husband. It has allowed me to travel the world and become an author.”
These days, Kimberly sees her stoma as a part of herself, one that she actually adores. As strange as it may sound, Kimberly’s stoma has enriched her life so much that after two years of having it, she decided to keep it permanently when the option arose to have it removed. She’s named it Toodles and refers to her stoma as her side buddy in life, one that has gained Kimberly access to supportive communities for ostomates and colorectal cancer. At the beginning of her stoma journey, she felt alone and isolated. With all of her new scars and medical appliances, she felt like a stranger in her own skin. But once she met like-minded people within the same community, Kimberly felt a surge of empowerment take hold. Encouraging herself and others to embrace their new bodies.
“I can stand in the mirror and just love on every part of my body, my scars, my bag. Seeing myself and giving thanks for who I am, perfectly imperfect.”
These days, Kimberly sees her stoma as a part of herself, one that she actually adores.
Now 54 and living in Georgetown, Kentucky, Kimberly is an accomplished author, burlesque performer, motivational speaker, model, Fight Colorectal Cancer Ambassador, and proud stoma advocate/educator. Kimberly says she feels like this experience has enriched her so much. All things she didn’t know she was capable of doing before meeting Toodles.
Products used: SUR-FIT Natura® precut Stomahesive wafer, Natura®+ Two-Piece Drainable Pouch, SUR-FIT Natura® Two-Piece Closed-End Pouch and ESENTA™ Adhesive Removers and Skin Barriers.
Featured Products
Stomahesive® Wafer
Natura® Two-Piece Drainable Pouch
Natura® +Closed-End Pouch
ESENTA™ Sting-Free Skin Barrier
Featured Articles
10/10/2024
me plus Community
Travel
Travelling with a Stoma Bag: What to Pack
The idea of taking long trips with an ostomy may seem daunting at first. But with a little extra preparation, you can...
Read more Read more04/12/2024
Everyday life
Travel
Road Trips with a Stoma
Now that you have an ostomy, the idea of taking long trips can seem daunting. But with a little extra preparation, yo...
Read more Read more04/12/2024
Everyday life
Travel
Road Trips with a Stoma(2)
Now that you have an ostomy, the idea of taking long trips can seem daunting. But with a little extra preparation, yo...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Travel
Stoma Travel Tips
Extra security precautions are being taken at airports and other transit hubs worldwide. A little pre-planning and un...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Fashion
Fashion tips for women living with a stoma
Here are some practical fashion tips from Jearlean Taylor, a successful model, author, and businesswoman who has neve...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Activity
Exercise After Stoma Surgery: Back to Basics
No matter what level of physical activity you want to pursue, ostomy surgery shouldn’t hold you back.
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Activity
Exercising With a Stoma: Dos and Don’ts
Exercising after ostomy surgery is about patience and doing what feels right. It’s important to take your time and kn...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Activity
Can You Swim with a Stoma Bag?
Having an ostomy should not prevent you from swimming. Here are some helpful tips to get you feeling confident in the...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Diet
Stoma Diet and Hydration Advice
There is no specific ‘ostomy diet’ but there are important considerations as you discover the foods that work best fo...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
Diet
Why Hydration Matters with an Ileostomy
On average, a person loses around 2.5 litres of fluid per day through sweat, urine, breath and faeces. Stoma bag wear...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
me plus Community
me+ Community Stories - Harrison
Hi, my name is Harrison Kefford and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I have been living with an ostomy since February ...
Read more Read more11/12/2024
me plus Community
me+ Community Stories - Renee
I had moderate to severe Crohn's disease for 25+ years which ended up with me getting the surgery to have an ileostom...
Read more Read more