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).
🌍 Invisible Disabilities, Visible Support | #StrongerTogether
Some travelled 9 hours, others more than 30 — but the team is finally together in Sierra Leone after months of preparation.
Representing the African Ostomy Association, members from SASS (South Africa), Stoma World Kenya, and the Uganda Ostomy Association, under the guidance and leadership of the European Ostomy Association, have gathered to support the newly formed Sierra Leone Ostomy Association.
Our mission is simple yet deeply complex — to raise the profile of ostomates and ensure that those living with invisible disabilities are seen, heard, and supported with dignity, access to products, and better quality of clinical care.
Come Monday, we begin the first of three workshops — starting in Freetown, then on to Kono and Bo — working alongside local healthcare professionals to build capacity, share expertise, and strengthen care for ostomates across the country.
From our nurses from Iceland and Kenya, to clinicians and patients sharing their stories — this mission reflects what true visible support looks like: collaboration, compassion, and commitment that transcends borders.
#InvisibleDisabilitiesVisibleSupport #OstomyCare #HumanitarianMission #SierraLeone #AfricaUnited #SASS #StomaWorldKenya #UgandaOstomyAssociation #EuropeanOstomyAssociation #AfricanOstomyAssociation #StrongerTogether #DignityInCare
Ileostomy and Diarrhea
Risks of Dehydration & Salt Loss
Now, an ileostomy patient has pretty much constant diarrhea, so they`re constantly gotta take in fluids. But now, what happens when you`re not drinking and you`re not taking in any fluids?
There`s a salt loss. There`s the risk of dehydration and kidney injury, which results in hospitalization.
#Ileostomy #OstomyAwareness #DehydrationRisks #PatientAdvocacy #StayHydrated #HealthcareForAll
🌍✨ SASS on the Global Stage! ✨🌍
Today, Faizel Jacobs had the incredible honour of formally receiving the World Ostomy Award 2025 at the Coloplast Offices in Durbanville, Cape Town — on behalf of the entire SASS team. 🏆
While he sorely missed Heather White and Sr Jolanda, who are with us in spirit from Johannesburg, the award recognises the collective dedication of the whole SASS family in breaking stigma, building communities, and advocating for ostomates in South Africa.
Presented by the European Ostomy Association in partnership with Coloplast, the award celebrates initiatives that turn the theme “Invisible disabilities, visible support – the global unity of ostomates” into action.
To the SASS team: your tireless work, heart, and dedication make this possible. And to every ostomate we serve, this recognition belongs to you too. We hope to continue this journey for many years, improving lives, restoring dignity, and making sure every voice is heard. 💙
👏 Thank you to the EOA and Coloplast for championing patient associations worldwide and for supporting the work we are so passionate about.
#SASS #WorldOstomyAward2025 #OstomatesMatter #GlobalRecognition #DignityInCare #EOA #Coloplast #VisibleSupport #InvisibleDisabilities
What is a Stoma?
A stoma is a small opening made during surgery that allows waste to leave the body when the usual path is no longer possible.
People may need a stoma for different reasons, such as colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, bladder cancer, or injury to the bowel or bladder.
This simple video breaks it down in an easy-to-understand way.
Having a stoma is not the end of life; it’s often the beginning of a new chance at living.
#StomaCare #OstomyAwareness #StrongerTogether #DignityForAll
This Diwali, let’s celebrate the light that shines within, the strength, resilience, and positivity of every ostomate.
From all of us at SASSTOMATES, wishing you a Diwali filled with peace, joy, and togetherness. 🪔
#Diwali2025 #SASSTOMATES #ShineBright #OstomyCommunity
⚠️ When Ingenuity Replaces Healthcare ⚠️
Meet Asanda from the Eastern Cape.
With no access to proper ostomy pouches, Asanda created an “ingenious solution” — a plastic bag and electrical tape.
Yes, it works desperately. But let’s be clear: this is not innovation to be celebrated.
It’s a human rights failure.
Plastic bags are made for bread, for supermarket shopping — not for containing human waste.
What does this mean for Asanda and thousands like her?
Constant risk of infection
Painful skin damage
Smell and stigma that isolate her from society
No one should have to live this way.
Access to ostomy supplies is basic, essential, and non-negotiable.
This is not about charity, it’s about justice and dignity.
#OstomyCare #DignityForAll #HumanRights #HealthcareForAll #StrongerTogether
🏁 Flying the SASS Flag at the Cape Town Marathon!
Today, Shahieda Dramat proudly represented SASS at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Peace Run, completing a brilliant 10 km and raising awareness for ostomates across South Africa. 🌟
Fresh off the plane from Johannesburg, Graham Daniels (Race No. 23171) collected his kit for tomorrow’s big challenge — his 4th appearance at the 42.2 km Cape Town Marathon! We’ll be cheering him on every step of the way. 🏃♂️💪
📱 Want to follow Graham live?
Download the Cape Town Marathon App from your App Store or Play Store and track his journey in real time. His start time is 7:00 AM tomorrow.
To Shahieda and Graham — thank you for flying the SASS flag high and reminding us all what strength, courage, and community look like. 🇿🇦💙
#SASS #StrongerTogether #CapeTownMarathon #Ostomates #Inspiration #RunForACause #TeamSASS
🚨 No One Should Live Like This 🚨
In parts of South Africa and across Africa, many ostomates are forced to use plastic bags to fashion makeshift pouches.
This is not only unsanitary, leading to infections, rashes, and other serious health complications, but it also strips people of their dignity. 💔
Imagine living with constant fear of leakage, the smell making others avoid you, and being cut off from work, school, or even family gatherings… all because you don’t have access to a basic medical pouch.
This is preventable. Ostomy supplies are not a luxury. They are a lifeline and a basic human right.
It’s time to end this silent crisis.
#OstomyCare #HumanRights #EndTheStigma #DignityForAll #strongertogether
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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