Advice and Tools
For every step of your Ostomy Journey
SASS aims to advocate and align the standard of Stoma care and services across South Africa which will be applicable to both the private and public sectors.
Ostomy Care
Tips and Tricks
The South African Society of Stomates (SASS) is a Non-profit organization formed by Ostomates across Southern Africa to facilitate a “holistic” approach to ostomy patient care by bridging the gap between the private and public sectors whilst advocating for the rights of fellow ostomates throughout the country.
SASS VALUE STATEMENT
SASS is dedicated to advocating for the rights and well-being of ostomates across South Africa. We strive to bridge the gap between private and public healthcare sectors, ensuring that all ostomates receive the highest standard of care.
Our mission is to provide comprehensive support, education, and resources to empower ostomates and their families, helping them navigate their new normal with confidence and dignity. By collaborating closely with clinicians and healthcare professionals, we ensure that our community receives expert care and guidance.
Aligning with global standards set by The International Ostomy Association (IOA), we aim to foster a community where every ostomate feels supported, informed, and valued.
Featured Topics
For Living with a Colostomy, Ileostomy or Urostomy
Help us achieve
What we set out to achieve with YOUR help
GET EDUCATED
Medically reviewed surgery-specific information. Making sure you have access to the best possible care. Ostomy pouch management tips, diet & nutrition, skincare, sexuality, travel tips and more!
FEEL SUPPORTED
Support to you & your family whilst you transition into your new normal. You will have access to a local peer support group, where you can get answers to questions, or connect with our Facebook community.
BE AN ADVOCATE
We aim to advocate the standard of Stoma care across private and public sectors, whilst aligning with the global standards set out by The International Ostomy Association (IOA).
ATTENTION GAUTENG CANCER PATIENTS‼️
If you have been diagnosed with cancer and were eligible for radiation oncology treatment between 2019 and 2022, we want to hear from you!
Submit your response using the following link: https://forms.gle/4B9jBoVpiJ2RkwEZ6 or scan the QR code.
🚨 A Humanitarian Crisis You Don’t See 🚨
For thousands of ostomates across South Africa and Africa, a pouch is not just a medical supply — it’s dignity, health, and survival.
When ostomy supplies run out, people are forced to improvise with plastic bags, rags, or nothing at all. The result? Infection, isolation, and unnecessary suffering. 💔
This is not just a shortage. It’s a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention. Every ostomate deserves the basic right to live with dignity.
Let’s make the invisible visible. Let’s speak up. Let’s act.
#HumanitarianCrisis #OstomyCare #DignityForAll #StrongerTogether
Step Out for Invisible Disabilities, Visible Support 💙
Today, we joined forces with the CANSA Foundation and the Skirt Girl Hiker Foundation for a special hike at Cecilia Forest — celebrating World Ostomy Day 2025 and the strength of our community. 🌿
This day reminds us that invisible disabilities deserve visible support — and that no journey should be walked alone.
As partners in this event, SASS stands proud to walk alongside every ostomate, survivor, and supporter — proving that resilience, when shared, becomes power. 💪
🎗️ Stronger Together. Always.
#WorldOstomyDay #InvisibleDisabilities #VisibleSupport #SASS #StrongerTogether #SkirtGirlHikerFoundation #CANSA #OstomyAwareness #SASSLink #StepOutForSupport #OstomatesOnTheMove
Today, October 4th, is World Ostomy Day — a global day to recognise the courage of ostomates and to highlight the support they need.
Theme for the Next Three Years:
“Invisible Disabilities – Visible Support.”
At SASS, over the next three years, we are committed to:
✅ Ensuring equitable access to ostomy supplies for all.
✅ Training and empowering more stoma nurses across South Africa.
✅ Building supportive peer networks so no ostomate feels alone.
We invite you to join us on this journey:
📢 Share your “Visible Support” story.
🤝 Partner with us to empower nurses and patients.
💙 Stand for dignity in stoma care.
Together, we can make the invisible VISIBLE— today and for the years to come.
#WorldOstomyDay #InvisibleDisabilities #VisibleSupport #StrongerTogether #SASS #OstomySA #InvisibleDisabilitiesVisibleSupport #HealthcareEquity #StomaCare
✨ World Ostomy Day – Claremont Road Mosque ✨
We are truly grateful to Imam Rashied Omar, who for the 3rd year has dedicated the Friday Jumuah to recognizing World Ostomy Day. 🌍💙
This year’s theme, Invisible Disabilities – Visible Support, hit deeply as Faizel was invited to address the congregation.
Fresh from his recent Umrah, he shared how living as an ostomate shapes not only the physical but also the psychological journey. 🕋 His message was powerful:
Support is about creating a safe space — where those carrying the trauma of illness can express their fears without judgment and begin their own path to healing. My healing is not a benchmark for the next person.
The moment was made even more profound when Imam Rashied ended with a beautiful prayer for ALL ostomates — irrespective of religion. A reminder that compassion and dignity know no boundaries. ✨🙏
World Ostomy Day reminds us: true dignity lies in compassion, in listening, and in showing up with visible support for invisible challenges. 💪✨
#WorldOstomyDay #InvisibleDisabilitiesVisibleSupport #SASS #StrongerTogether #FaithAndHealing
✨ Today, the SASS Team had the honour of joining the Groote Schuur Hospital World Stoma Day Event 💙
The day brought together clinicians, trade partners, surgeons, nurses, ostomates, and their loved ones — a true reflection of Invisible Disabilities – Visible Support.
💡 Nurses who recently completed the Stoma Therapy Course shared their biggest lesson: realising how much more there is to learn about ostomy care — and how this training has given them the confidence to serve our community better.
🩺 Surgeons highlighted patient rights and reversals.
🤝 Trade partners shared product insights and encouragement.
💙 SASS spoke about our Ostomates On The Move Program.
🎤 And most importantly, patients shared their real, raw, and inspiring stories — filled with tears, laughter, courage, and hope.
Thank you to the Groote Schuur team for creating a day that celebrated learning, connection, and the power of community. 🌍💪
#WorldOstomyDay #SASS #StrongerTogether #InvisibleDisabilitiesVisibleSupport #OstomatesOnTheMove
✨ Collaboration in Action ✨
Today, SASS was proud to join Coloplast’s Annual Patient Day – bringing together a group of 25 ostomates for learning, connection, and empowerment.
💡 Three powerful educational sessions took place:�
1️⃣ Nutrition for Ostomates – a dietitian unpacked how dietary needs differ between colostomy, ileostomy and Urostomy patients.�
2️⃣ Peristomal Skin Health – Coloplast nurses Jane & Corlia answered patient questions and shared expert guidance.�
3️⃣ Ostomates On The Move – SASS Biokineticist Ricardo Siljeur introduced the importance of breathing, core strength, and stability to support mobility and reduce the risk of hernias.
🤝 We are grateful to Coloplast for including SASS in this event, and to every ostomate who joined us. Together, we continue to build stronger, healthier, and more confident lives.
#StrongerTogether #OstomySupport #SASS #Coloplast #OstomatesOnTheMove #PeristomalSkinCare #NutritionForOstomates #OstomyAwareness
#InvisibleDisabilitiesVisibleSupport
Ostomy and Mental Health: Living with Dignity
Our experience uncovers the profound psychosocial distress faced by ostomates, including isolation from loved ones and the challenges of daily life. We explore the impact on their well-being, highlighting the need for dignified living as a fundamental right.
#SASSTOMATES #OstomyAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #LivingWithDignity #OstomatesStrong #OstomyAndMentalHealth #BreakingStigma #YouAreNotAlone #SupportAndStrength #OstomySupport #InvisibleDisability #LifeWithAStoma #WellbeingForAll #SouthAfrica #OstomateJourney
SASS Blog
What has been happening at SASS
Restoring Dignity Through Partnership & Education
SASS and Helen Joseph Hospital Lead the Way in Stoma Care In April and May 2025, the South African Society of Stomates (SASS) partnered with Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH) in Johannesburg for a multi-day capacity-building initiative aimed at improving stoma care services in the public health system. What started as a workshop quickly became a […]
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