About Us

Ostomy Hamilton helps ostomates and their families return to a sense of well-being by providing them with information, suggestions, empathy, and understanding.

  • Parents of Children with Ostomies

  • Spouses and Significant Others (SASO)

  • Youth Camp

Meet Our

Co-Presidents

Mike and Janet Paquet

For the few years prior to having ostomy surgery, Janet spent more time in the hospital than out of it. Crohn’s disease had been ravaging her entire digestive system and had necessitated multiple bowel resections. It finally reached a point in 1996 when Janet was in her early twenties and 31 weeks pregnant that the doctors declared that she had reached a point where ostomy surgery was her only option, and it was imperative that they deliver her daughter immediately and give her a jejunostomy.

Although the hospital staff had tried to prepare both Janet and Mike, the realities of having the surgery were much more difficult then either of them anticipated. Not sure how to cope Mike and Janet turned to Ostomy Hamilton for support. Through their Ostomy Visitor Program, both Janet and Mike were able to meet with and discuss their concerns and worries about Janet’s new ostomy. Not only did Janet learn tips and tricks about changing her pouch and managing leaks, Mike was able to utilize the SASO program to talk with a visitor whose spouse had undergone ostomy surgery. Attending the monthly Ostomy Hamilton meetings were vital for Janet to learn acceptance of her ostomy and helped Mike learn how to support Janet. The peer support they both received was invaluable.

As a professional not-for-profit fundraiser, Mike has used his skills to help raise money for Ostomy Hamilton and the Ostomy Canada Society. Both him and Janet share a passion for the Ostomy Canada Youth Camp, which sends children from across Canada who have had bladder and/or bowel diversion surgery often resulting in an ostomy to spend a week at a fabulous summer camp, where they can meet peers who have share their journey. Mike helps to raise money to send these kids to camp and Janet is one of the Camp Administrators attending camp alongside volunteer mentors and NSWOC nurses.

Both Mike and Janet are proud to serve as co-presidents of Ostomy Hamilton and are please to be able to facilitate a safe space where new ostomates and their families can learn to better understand their ostomy and express their feelings, good or bad in a supportive environment.

Our History

Allan Porter was the founder and first President of our organization. There are literally thousands of people worldwide who remember him for his pioneering work in Hamilton’s ostomy community, UOA Canada (now UOAC – the United Ostomy Association of Canada) and UOA Inc., the parent organization in the United States (now renamed UOAA -the United Ostomy Association of America).

Al was Chief Medical Technologist at the Hamilton General Hospital back in 1962. He was only 45 years old when he was stricken with ulcerative colitis. Al knew full well what was likely to happen if the bleeding continued. He would simply bleed to death. It wasn’t until May 16, 1965, on his 48th birthday, that he got his life-saving ileostomy. A month later, Al was back at work.

In 1966, Al attended an Ontario Medical Association Convention in Toronto where he met a few ileostomates from the Toronto Ileostomy Association (now Ostomy Toronto). Al joined the Toronto Chapter.

After a year of commuting to monthly meetings in Toronto, Al decided to seek out other ostomates in the Hamilton area. The goal was to form an Association! With the help of the Metro Hamilton Cancer Society, he received publicity through newspaper and radio coverage, resulting in a historic meeting at the Cancer Headquarters in May 1968 where eighty ostomates attended. The very next night, with 30 dedicated members, the Ileostomy and Colostomy Association of Hamilton was born with its first official meeting. Al was elected President. The new association became an affiliate of UOA Inc. They met every month at the General Hospital until Al retired at the age of 65. He then moved the office to an empty classroom at Sacred Heart School through the generosity of The Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Separate School Board in Hamilton.

In the summer of 1982, Al set up a UOA ‘Canadian’ Office. This became a clearing house for ostomy publications and a Canadian centre for related information and supplies. In 1986, Al initiated the process to establish a ‘Canadian’ association for ostomates so that income tax receipts could be issued for donations to UOA Canada (Al chose the name). Now, the Hamilton office served two purposes:

1. To serve the needs of the now renamed “Hamilton & District Ostomy Association”. Our agency was incorporated through the issuing of a Letters Patent dated September 29, 1974, and:

2. To serve the needs of UOA Canada. UOA Canada was officially born on October 1, 1987, when it was granted its non-profit charitable status. Al was the Canadian office coordinator. The Hamilton Office was designated as the location of the new United Ostomy Association of Canada Inc. (UOAC) through a Letters Patent dated August 23, 1991. The office was relocated to Toronto in 1994. The Canadian Association voted to become independent of the UOA Inc. in June 1997 at the International Ostomy Association Congress held in Calgary, AB.

Al died on January 17, 1995, two years before the Canadian Association became independent.

3. In the spring of 2024, the Hamilton & District Ostomy Association officially changed their name to Ostomy Hamilton. A new logo was specifically designed to reflect the name change and the commitment the Hamilton & District Ostomy Association has had to the community since its inception in 1968. The design was created by the talented Calissa Cathcart using the royal blue and yellow of the city of Hamilton’s flag colours. A cinquefoil flower is included in the logo, as it is Hamilton’s official flower. Additionally, this species of flower is part of the potentilla family, which has been used medicinally to treat gastrointestinal disorders.

At present, Ostomy Hamilton does not have an “office” as such but currently holds its monthly meetings at Bennetto Community Centre, 450 Hughson St. North, Hamilton and online using the Zoom platform.