UK Awards Program & Application

The Great Comebacks™ Program was established in 1984, in the USA, to provide guidance and inspiration for people facing the physical and emotional challenges after Stoma surgery (colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy). Our mission is to explain the Stoma experience and to show opportunities where there was once only pain, frustration and fear.

For patients and their families facing this life-changing experience it is important to know that there is help available, and as hard as it may seem, you can get your life back. Having a stoma can be a new beginning, a second chance to fulfil dreams and live a very full and productive life. Through the awards, and the efforts of the recipients, we hope to further de-stigmatise inflammatory bowel diseases, colorectal cancer, and stoma surgery and help give people hope, guidance and the information they need to make their own comeback.

We have run the Great Comebacks™ programme in the UK for five years, recognising over 40 people's achievements, as well as the hundreds of others that have been nominated for the awards.

The Programme involves Stoma patients, family members, carers, specialist nurses and friends nominating a patient who has made a comeback from surgery.

This comeback may be purely being able regain their independence, to visit the local shops, get back involved in their favourite sport or to go on holiday in the UK or abroad.

The nomination form should be sent into ConvaTec and will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges made up of clinicians, patients, Patient Association personnel and other lay people. Awards will be made to patients from each of the 3 categories of stoma, Colostomy, Ileostomy and Urostomy as well as a young person’s award.

The awards event will take place during the autumn of 2008 at a centrally located location in the UK.

The 2008 awards programme has now begun and if you would like to be involved please contact us immediately or click here for a nomination form.