|
On August 10, 1976, a small group of people met in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The purpose of this meeting was to form a local group to assist people who had or were about to have, ostomy surgery.
In the fall (August) of 1977, application was made and accepted with the United Ostomy Association Inc., which has now disbanded.
The name U. O. A. Grand Rapids Ostomy Association was approved with the assigned area of Kent and Ionia Counties.
In 1978 and 1979, the GROA was awarded 1st place for increasing membership in its category by the United ostomy Association, Inc. This was accomplished by the dedication and countless hours given by GROA members. Also, NONE of this would have been possible without the help of our local physicians, enterostomal therapist, and the Kent County Unit of the American Cancer Society.
The GROA is composed primarily of ostomates with the purpose of providing mutual aid, moral support and education to those who have had colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy surgery. The chapter supplements the work of the surgeon by offering follow-up through people who have learned to live with an ostomy
Trained members make visits to homes and hospitals upon request with the prior consent of the patient’s physician or Enterostomal Therapist, and many visits can be made by phone.
At regular Semi-monthly meetings, open to anyone interested, members can exchange practical, personal experiences about their ostomies, see ostomy equipment displayed and hear speakers who are knowledgeable about ostomy. In this way, thousands of people have returned to active and productive lives by adjusting to their new way of life.
In September of 2005, our United Ostomy Association (UOA) found that it had to disband. Leaving some of the Chapters around the World with no other source of information point. We however, in our Grand Rapids Chapter have opted to keep the Chapter going as long as there is a need for ostomy help in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area. As we have stated elsewhere in this booklet, we will not be asking for dues from our membership, but will try to make do with what we do receive, and any donations from our members.
If you received help from our Chapter when you were a new ostomate, or even after many years of having your ostomy, you will know what we mean, by, ‘we must keep the home fires burning, while the light still shines within us to do so.’
3
|