Living with a stoma presents unique challenges that can significantly impact an ostomate's quality of life. Whether temporary or lifelong, stomas require careful management and often demand physical, emotional, and social adjustments. Many ostomates are good at seeking help from a stoma nurse specialist to manage complications or other ostomates for practical advice. Still, often a lot of their needs may not be met due to various reasons, including not knowing that help is available for more than just troubleshooting complications, but also every aspect of their life with a stoma. This is why this article explores the challenges ostomates face, emphasises the role of stoma nurse specialists, but also families, and communities in creating a supportive network that caters to their holistic needs.
Marinova et al. (Mon,) studied this question.