ECPC's member of the month January 2010 is:

Višnja Družak - The Association of the Disabled ILCO Karlovac

My Organisation

The ILCO Karlovac group has been active since 2004. It helps people newly operated on large intestine carcinoma, using an aid - "the bag". In co-operation with the Croatian Ministry of Health, the Association supports the prevention of large intestine cancer. ILCO Karlovac is a member of the ILCO Croatia Association.

The ILCO Croatia Association has 11 members and is active since 2002. The Association of the Disabled ILCO Croatia includes: ILCO Varadin, ILCO Koprivnica, ILCO Èakovec, ILCO Osijek, ILCO Nova Gradiska, ILCO Slavonski Brod, ILCO Split, ILCO Pula, ILCO Zagreb, ILCO Pozega, and ILCO Karlovac.

All chairpersons are persons with stoma, and in their towns they actively assist newly operated persons. They strive by their example to encourage the public in regards to large intestine cancer prevention.

In Croatia we celebrate the International Day of Persons with stoma every year in another town. This year, the symposium "Life of Persons with Stoma – Prevention and Postoperational Period" takes place in Pula.

My story

Large intestine cancer (bowel cancer) is a disease accompanied by a bag as an aid. Oh, what a discovery! Bearing in mind that for one's entire life one has to wear a bag on the peritoneum and exchange it when necessary, no matter where you are. I found out that I had to do so when I was 45. After an operation for carcinoma and then with the bag, all I could do was accept with cheerfulness the fact that I was alive. I was lucky to be operated by an excellent surgeon. With God's help I recovered quickly and my TRUST, HOPE AND LOVE strengthened.

After having recovered completely, I decided to establish the ILCO society in my town, Karlovac, and to initiate prevention, so that I can help other people in Karlovac and Croatia with my experience. It was my wish to offer psychological support to people with stoma – stomists – and to break taboos that appear at the very mention of intestinal cancer on any national television. With a lot of volunteering and with the participation and support of my family, as well as in co-operation with the health care system in Croatia, today large intestine is an issue talked about more freely, particularly since there are more and more young persons who get this disease.

Eight years have passed since my first operation, and I feel as if I was born again, because I can do well every day, and I am grateful for each new day offered to me as a gift. I experience every day as a new beginning for I get all I want, and that is the JOY OF LIFE.
The insights that follows me through my life is are:

Yesterday is gone.
Tomorrow will come.
Live today!
Every day is an eternal gift of happiness! I wish you health and cheerfulness!

How to contact me

email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

http://www.stoma-klc.org

See also our previous ECPC Members of the Month.