The SJD Sant Boi Hospital raises awareness of ostomy with the travelling exhibition 'Heroes and Heroines'
This exhibition, created by Hollister and GESTO, pays tribute to the 70,000 people living with an ostomy in Spain and acknowledges the work of stoma nurses
The exhibition’s opening event at the hospital brought together over 40 people, including patients, families, and professionals, giving a platform to first-person testimonies
The exhibition is personalised with a panel dedicated to stoma nurse Beatriz Álvarez and two of her regular patients, Manuel Cabrera and Cèlia Garcia
During the month of October, Sant Joan de Déu Sant Boi Hospital hosts the Traveling Exhibition 'Heroes and Heroines'' on the fourth floor, created by Hollister and GESTO (Group of Stoma Nurses), focusing on ostomised individuals and the stoma nurses who care for them.
The opening event for the exhibition, held today in the lobby of SJD Sant Boi Hospital, coincides with the week of World Ostomy Day. Through a presentation attended by over 40 people, including representatives from the medical and nursing management of the Parc Sanitari SJD, the exhibition’s story and Hollister’s commitment to humanising ostomy care were highlighted. "This exhibition is precisely a recognition of all the people who live with a stoma bag and a tribute to their stoma nurses who, through their daily work, help normalise their patients’ lives," explained Rafa Llamas, Hollister’s area manager.
One ostomy, two stories
The exhibition is personalised with a panel dedicated to the hospital’s stoma nurse, Beatriz Álvarez, and two of her regular patients, Manuel Cabrera and Cèlia Garcia. Visibly moved, Álvarez shared her professional testimony, emphasising the courage and strength of her patients and their families, whom she describes as the true protagonists. "As a stoma nurse, I accompany and normalise the lives of ostomy patients, from surgery and hospitalisation to follow-up visits, until they resume their lives - travelling again, swimming in the sea… or even cycling 70 km," explains Álvarez. "I congratulate and empower them to continue with their lives, with something new, yes, but that allows them to keep living," she adds.
The event concluded with the first-person testimony of Cèlia Garcia, a patient at SJD Sant Boi Hospital with an ileostomy. During her speech, Cèlia Garcia shared her life story and how an ostomy changed her life 25 years ago. Participating in this exhibition and sharing their experiences has been a liberating step for patients, helping them explain to their surroundings - often unaware of their condition - that they live with an ostomy. "Being ostomised was a drastic change, but I will accept it to keep living. My quality of life improved so much that, when offered, I firmly refused reconstruction; I was terrified at the thought of reliving the symptoms I had endured for years," explains Garcia. "The worst part of this experience was hiding it and turning it into a taboo for twenty years. "Now, I have opened up to the world and left prejudices behind," she states.
Portraits that humanise: the stoma in first person
The exhibition is part of the HUMANISATION program, promoted by Hollister through GESTO, with the aim of increasing visibility for ostomies, people with stomas, and the work of expert stoma nurses. Through 14 stories and their portraits, captured by renowned photographer Álvaro Laiz, the exhibition showcases the lives of ostomised individuals and the nurses who, from consultations in various Spanish hospitals, care for, educate, and support these patients. The initiative extends to social media, where Hollister has launched a campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and X, aiming to put a face to 1,000 heroes and heroines.
In Spain, over 70,000 people live with an ostomy, with 16,000 new cases each year, 40% of which are permanent.
