Ethnocentric Challengers in Nursing Care Ostomy Support Groups … Worldwide

THE ROLE OF THE IOA COORDINATION COMMITTEE

a) TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF ALL OSTOMATES BY ADVOCATING ON THOSE GLOBAL OSTOMY RELATED ISSUES AND POLICIES THAT IMPACT ALL OF IOA’S REGIONS.
b) TO IDENTIFY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE OSTOMY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS ARE STILL NEEDED SUCH AS IN AFRICA.
c) TO CIRCULATE PERTINENT INFORMATION AMONG THE REGIONS
d) TO GENERATE IOA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES; TO RESOLVE DISPUTES; TO MAINTAIN THE WEBSITE; AND COORDINATE ACTIVTIES THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL REGIONS SUCH AS WORLD OSTOMY DAY.

YOUR CONGRESS THEME “ETHNOCENTRIC CHALLENGES IN NURSING CARE” IS MIRRORED BY IOA WHICH HAS AS ITS GLOBAL VISION:

“THE COMPLETE REHABILITATION OF ALL OSTOMY PATIENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR CULTURE, RELIGION OR LANGUAGE AND THE EVENTUAL ELIMINATION OF THE STIGMAS SURROUNDING OSTOMY SURGERY”

A VISION THAT CAN BE ATTAINED THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS LIKE YOU, THE MANUFACTUERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF OSTOMY PRODUCTS, AND THROUGH THE ADVOCACY OF OSTOMATES THEMSELVES


A MAJOR CHALLENGE FACING IOA
AGING ASSOCIATION LEADERS

ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES FACING IOA TODAY IS THE RECRUITMENT OF NEW ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER LEADERS. WITH THE TIME DEMANDS IMPOSED BY TODAY’S SOCIAL CYBER ENVIRONMENT FREE TIME THAT IN THE PAST WAS COMMITED TO HUMANITARIAN CAUSES IS NOW LIMITED. AS A RESULT THE AGE OF TODAY’S LEADERS IS INCREASING ALONG WITH THEIR LENGTH OF TIME IN OFFICE.

A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO THIS CHALLENGE
THE “20/40 FOCUS” PROGRAM

IN 1999 IOA INITIATED THE 20/40 FOCUS, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INVOLVE YOUNGER OSTOMATES IN THE GOVERNANCE OF OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUP ASSOCIATIONS. THE PROGRAM WAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY EMBRACED BY THE 20/40 COMMUNITY AT A CONFERENCE HELD IN COPENHAGEN, BUT BUY-IN BY ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS HAS BEEN LACKING AND THE PROGRAM NEVER ACCOMPLISHED ITS STATED OBJECTIVES. CREDIT MUST BE GIVEN TO RONALDO LORA FOR HIS EFFORTS TO KEEP THIS PROGRAM ALIVE.

“20/40” PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

a) TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OSTOMATES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 AND 40 TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS DESIGNED TO STIMULATE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND EXPAND THE KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE WITH AN OSTOMY.

b) TO FAMILIARIZE MEMBERS OF THE 20/40 COMMUNITY WITH THE IOA, ITS 3 REGIONS AND THEIR AFFILIATED MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS; TO ESTABLISH A WORLDWIDE NETWORK OF 20/40 OSTOMATES WHO ARE ENGAGED, EDUCATED AND EMPOWERED THROUGH THIS KNOWLEDGE; AND TO PROMOTE THE LEADERSHIP OF THESE 20/40ERS IN IOA’S OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUPS.

c) TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY, TARGET AND SHARE THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY THE 20/40 COMMUNITY. THIS INFORMATION CAN BE ACTED UPON BY IOA AND ITS AFFILIATES ENABLING THEM TO DEVELOP PLANS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.

d) TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE 20/40 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND THE MANUFACTURERS OF OSTOMY PRODUCTS URGING THEM TO PRODUCE OSTOMY SUPPLIES THAT BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF THIS YOUTHFUL COMMUNITY.

THE “ASK”

I CALL UPON ALL OF YOU TO HELP US REKINDLE THIS 20/40 FOCUS PROGRAM. WITH THE ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUPS WILL EXPERIENCE A MOMENT OF ENRICHMENT, A MOMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL REBIRTH … NEW PEOPLE COMING FORTH WITH NEW IDEAS, NEW ENTHUSIASM WITH A WILLINGNESS TO VENTURE ALONG UNEXPLORED AVENUES. PROBLEMS CEASE TO BE PROBLEMS ASSUMING THE ROLE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTAIN NEW OBJECTIVES AND IN SO DOING MOVE ON TO MORE EXPANSIVE GOALS.

THANK YOU

PRESIDENT SUSAN, IOA AND ALL OSTOMATES WORLDWIDE VALUE WCET’S WORK AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU NURSES FOR HELPING OSTOMATES TO BECOME REHABILITATED ENABLING US TO ACHIEVE A MEANINGFUL QUALITY OF LIFE. WE IN IOA LOOK FORWARD TO MAINTAINING OUR CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH WCET.

OUR SHARED DREAMS CAN ONLY BE ATTAINED BY WORKING TOGETHER WHENEVER, AND WHEREVER WE CAN.


by: Mr. Ken Aukett
Chairman
IOA Coordination Committee