The GVS Birthday Pump was held on Saturday, March 16 at the Beach Soccer Stadium. The fourth annual charity event was held in aid of Colon Cancer Awareness and the Megan Louise Sands Ostomy Foundation.

The annual event is hosted by George Thomas, Virginia Chan and Stuart Rosales.

Megan Louise Sands Ostomy Foundation is a new organization devoted to creating awareness and raising funds for those individuals who have an ostomy and are economically disadvantaged and require both financial and emotional support. (An ostomy is a surgically created opening from an internal organ, such as the intestine, to an external point on the body, usually in the abdomen). There are three types of ostomies – colostomy, urostomy and ileostomy. An ‘ostomate’ refers to someone who has one of these three ostomies. Some common reasons someone may surgically have an ostomy created include cancer, crohn’s disease, irritable bowel disease or trauma, such as an accident or a gunshot wound. In 2006 I suffered serious injuries after being in a Jet Ski accident, which resulted in me having a colostomy. With the support of the community, family and friends, and a positive attitude, I was able to overcome the early challenges of living with an ostomy, such as having the proper supplies. Having an ostomy can definitely take physical and emotional tolls, but with the right support and knowledge, an ostomate can go on to live a productive and normal life. I have proven that my life is not limited due to my ostomy. I can attest from a personal experience of living with an ostomy that it is crucial to always have sufficient and proper supplies and that this can be extremely costly. Unfortunately, there are ostomates here in the Bahamas that are resorting to a ‘ziploc bag and tape’ method due to lack of finances. No one should feel restricted due to an ostomy. No one should have to live without the necessary supplies in order to feel comfortable and confident in their daily living.

Mission: “To support ostomates throughout the length and breadth of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to live their lives without limitations.”