2007 Great Comebacks® Program Award Recipient
South Region 
When diagnosed with ulcerative colitis her freshman year
in college, Wendy Lueder was no stranger to ostomy surgery.
As a child in the 1950's she watched her grandfather, a
general surgeon, wear a black rubber pouch on his stomach
that he manufactured from inner tubes in his basement. Wendy's
grandfather had self diagnosed his need for colon removal
in the 1930's and traveled to Vienna, Austria for surgery.
He then remained in Vienna for three years to recuperate
and learn the surgery himself, before returning to the U.S.
During Wendy's freshman year in college, pain, bleeding,
cramping, fever, and weakness to the point of barely being
able to walk were part of her daily life. Each semester,
weeks were lost to hospitalizations and Wendy's weight dropped
to 89 pounds. However, with class notes from friends, paid
tutors and even her mom, Wendy graduated in five years with
a degree in philosophy.
After resisting surgery for many years due to fear that
it would be the end of her life as a desirable single woman,
Wendy elected to have an ostomy surgery. Ironically, her
only regret now is that she waited so long. She recalls,
“When I had my surgery, the presence of my surgical
appliance was all I could think about every day. It was
like loud music. Gradually, I got used to it and now its
elevator music, a non-issue that I only become aware of
when it's time to help another.”
After her surgery, Wendy became the newsletter editor and
eventually the President of her local chapter of the United
Ostomy Associations of America. She also met the love of
her life at age 34, her sweetheart Rennold - the two have
been married for 27 years.
Wanting to do a more professional job for her chapter's
newsletter and create a Web site, Wendy returned to college
at the age of 58 to earn a second degree in graphic design.
She graduated in 2005 with highest honors and won the Pinnacle
award for the most service hours performed of anyone in
her class.
Today, Wendy and her husband reside in Fort Lauderdale,
FL. She credits her sister Pam as being her greatest encouragement.
Pam, who has undergone the same surgery as Wendy, took off
with her husband Andy and two children on a seven year voyage
around the world in a forty foot sailboat, with no running
water, except with a foot pump, and no hot water. Wendy
learned that most all limitations we put on ourselves are
from our attitudes, not from circumstances.
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