Matt Forde has shared he has had a colostomy bag fitted following his bone cancer diagnosis and life-changing surgery.
The Absolute Radio DJ, 41, thought he was suffering from sciatica when he performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, but later found out it was a cancerous tumour at the base of his spine.
He then had part of his spine removed to remove the growth and has spent the subsequent months recovering and relearning how to walk.
Following the 13-hour surgery and ten-week stay at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Forde was discharged with a stoma and colostomy bag.
‘I would have done anything I could to live — literally sacrificed anything,’ he said.
He told The Times: ‘The doctors could have carved off any part of me that they needed to, so that I could have an extra second on this planet with my wife, that was the main thing.’
The comedian opened up to Colostomy UK about the surgery and lifelong changes following his surgery, admitting he was scared by the idea of using a colostomy bag.
‘We’re not meant to see it as it comes out, let alone sit there powerless as it bursts out of our belly like some sort of s****y alien. So that scared me,’ he said.
‘The change to my body. The squeamishness about poo coming out of there. The faff of having a bag I had to change every day.
‘Now I can’t believe what a small change it’s been. It doesn’t dominate my mind in the way I thought it would.’
He said conversations about the surgery and bag with his stoma nurses helped to ‘demistify’ the procedure.
What is a colostomy bag?
What is a colostomy bag?
A colostomy bag is a pouch that collects waste from the body after a surgical procedure called a colostomy.
During a colostomy, a surgeon creates an opening in the abdominal wall – a stoma- then attaches the end of the colon to it. Waste then exits the body through the stoma instead of the rectum and anus.
The colostomy bag then collects the waste. There are different types of colostomy bags, including reusable and single-use bags.
According to the NHS, you may have a colostomy to treat:
- Bowel cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Diverticulitis
- Anal cancer
- Vaginal cancer or cervical cancer
- Bowel incontinence
- Hirschsprung’s disease
‘For a while in hospital, I couldn’t help myself with the stoma at all. That didn’t help. It meant I was reliant on others, rather than being able to take charge of it for myself,’ he continued.
‘Once my mobility improved and I could maintain the stoma independently, it was much easier.’
Forde said comedy had helped him accept the change, and joked listeners to his Absolute Radio show had texted in potential names for the bag, with his favourite being ‘Sir Keir Stoma’.
Sharing the news of his cancer last year, Matt thanked fans for their well wishes after they inundated him with support.
‘It’s caused by a spine tumour,’ he wrote on social media.
‘I need surgery so I’ll be off for a bit. I’ll record some shows to cover the gap (subscribe wherever you get your podcasts). I’ll be fine. In the words of Steve Cooper, I’ll trust the process.’
Macmillan cancer support
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
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