Stefano Piazza

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ITALY

At the age of 50, Stefano Piazza was eagerly looking forward to the birth of his first child. Just four months before his wife was due, Stefano was diagnosed with advanced tumors in his digestive system.

After the initial shock and devastation, Stefano's determined personality rebounded and he requested that his doctor perform surgery immediately so that he could recover before his wife gave birth.

After surgery, Stefano started chemotherapy and everything appeared to be going well. However, two years later, Stefano’s condition began to worsen and his quality of life was impacted. He decided it was time to regain control of his life, and without hesitation, opted for an ileostomy.

"I was calm and even happy about the surgery because I was confident I’d be able to lead a normal life again,” recalled Stefano. “I got used to my stoma right away and am getting on with living my life.”

Now, at the age of 53, Stefano has once again taken up his favorite hobbies, which include scuba diving, hiking, and restoring old cars and motorbikes. He also relishes time spent at home with his wife, Mariana, and 4-year old son, Gabriel.

Stefano hopes that by sharing his story of triumph over a debilitating disease, it will help others realize that ostomy surgery can lead to a new beginning.