Meet Karen McGuinness

I'm Karen McGuinness, and my journey with a stoma began with the star procedure, a reconstruction of my bowel. Initially expecting a temporary stoma, complications in the theatre led to a permanent one, which clearly came as a shock, but one I have since embraced with positivity.

Approaching 12 years with my stoma, I found solace in the Convatec bag, a constant companion through sea swims and life's challenges. Rejecting the notion of change, I firmly believe in sticking with what works, sharing my wisdom with others on a similar journey.

Lonely in my stoma experience, I decided to raise awareness. 

Last year, I ran the London Marathon for Children with Cancer UK. Despite a medic's suggestion to finish early, with the help of others I was able to make it over the finish line, which I have to say is one of my proudest achievements to date. 

My advice to others is profound: take each day as it comes, be kind to yourself, and pursue achievable goals on your bucket list.

For seven years, I've used my music and busking to help others, from supporting cancer patients to fundraising for Children with Cancer UK.

Through the power of social media, I've witnessed a positive shift in stoma awareness, fostering confidence in individuals sharing their stories. As a fitness instructor, I incorporate daily planking to strengthen muscles around my stoma and maintain fitness through activities like sea swimming. My advice with anyone would be to start small, find out what works for you and just enjoy it. Exercise shouldn’t feel like a chore, so find something you enjoy and try to stick with it – I can guarantee you’ll feel better in the long run!

I hope through sharing my story, I am able to help others to realise that having a stoma doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things that you love and once did. Of course, it comes with it’s challenges, but I am a firm believer that with a positive mindset and the right advice, you can do whatever you want to do, stoma or not.