Guernsey born and bred, Andrea Bewey has lived with a stoma bag since the age of 16, when she woke up in hospital after receiving emergency, life-changing surgery.
Now in her early 60s, Mrs Bewey said she felt proud to be a model selected for the fundraising calendar.
It has been created by Dorset-based model and campaigner Karen Ashman – who also lives with a colostomy bag – as a way to raise awareness and funds for two non-profit charities that help ostomates. Ms Ashman has launched an online ostomy support group, fighting to end the stigma around stomas.
Wanting to represent people living with the condition in everyday life, she asked her Facebook followers to send in their photos with an outline of their story, to be one of the months in her maiden calendar.
She received ‘a lot’ of applications from across the UK, and America, and Mrs Bewey was the only Channel Islander to have been selected.
‘I didn’t think I stood a chance,’ she said.
‘I’m wearing a lovely swimsuit with oranges and lemons all over it from Vanilla Blush – which does inclusive underwear and swimwear for people with ostomy bags. It was supposed to be a bit of a pin-up vibe,’ she said.
‘Tracey from Adora’bubble did my shoot for free, bless her. I was shocked how I looked in the photos – it made me quite emotional, and I couldn’t believe that I was accepted. Years ago, when I had this surgery done, there was – and still is – a really big stigma about having a bag. People don’t really understand it and think I must smell – but it’s not like that at all.
‘So to raise awareness, I think, is a big deal. Even if I only help one person to feel better about themselves, it will be worth it.’
At 13, Mrs Bewey was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which spread after three years and made her dangerously ill.
After being given a 50/50 chance of survival, she had her colon and rectum removed, resulting in permanent ileostomy.
‘I went unconscious for a while and then woke up with a cage over me, tubes coming in and out everywhere and this big bag on my belly that went right down to my knee,’ she said.
‘I’d never even heard of a stoma. It was really hard.
‘There were no stoma nurses at the time and I never received any counselling – it just wasn’t offered to us back then.
‘About 10 years ago, when I was going through my menopause, I did suffer with my mental health – because I never confronted it.
‘I’ve had the bag all my adult life, but I still get a bit down about it sometimes and have to pick myself up. I’m lucky, really. And nowadays, over here, you’ve got a lot of help. I’m so grateful for people like Karen who are spreading awareness.’
Ms Ashman, who models for the lingerie company Vanilla Blush, has lived with her stoma bag for 14 years, and said it was always a dream of hers to one day create an ostomy calendar, as a way to combat the isolation that many ostomates experience.
She met Mrs Bewey through her support group and said she was amazed to have received a few calendar applicants from Guernsey, but Mrs Bewey’s story had ‘really touched’ her.
‘She’s a lovely, genuine person,’ she said.
‘She can’t do enough for people and actually wants to help. I listened to everything she said about body confidence and made sure she got June, so she could model and keep the lemon swimsuit she mentioned loving.
‘She’s a beautiful person, and I hope this will make her feel that way.’
Proceeds from the calendar will be split between Footprints 2 Africa and Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Association.
Islanders can buy a calendar by contacting Ms Ashman on her Facebook page.
Each calendar is £10, with £1.99 postage and packaging to the island.
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