Think back to a time you were out shopping or travelling with a bag.
You pop to the loo, shut the door and you look for the hook. It’s not there. Now what do you do? Put your bag on the floor? Balance your coat on your knee? I don’t know what your routine is in this type of situation. Maybe it’s such a small inconvenience you’d hardly think about it.
But Edward Mountain did. After bowel cancer surgery he lived with a temporary stoma and those small details weren’t small anymore.
Around 1 in 335 people in the UK live with a stoma.
Edward wanted to help others in the same boat, so he wrote to Morrisons. The letter clearly made an impression as Corporate Affairs Director David Scott said they were touched by Edward’s story and understood that living with a stoma isn’t always something people can see from the outside.
As of this month, accessible toilets in Morrisons stores now include features recommended by Colostomy UK: hooks for clothing and bags, a shelf for supplies and a mirror to help users check their stoma appliance.
For someone living with a stoma, a hook, a shelf and a mirror can make the difference between staying home and stepping out into the world.
The initiative was sparked in part by Edward’s story. That’s a reminder that one person’s lived experience can lead to small changes that make life easier for thousands of others.
Look closely enough at ordinary life and the small stuff isn’t small at all.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-scott-5a624551/
