Sarcoma Awareness Month is upon us this July, and it feels like the perfect opportunity to share my personal journey with sarcoma, more specifically, a rare type of sarcoma. By spreading awareness about sarcoma types, symptoms, and treatments, we can collectively take one step forward in the fight against this rare disease.

Hello everyone! I'm LeeAnne Hayden, your host at The Beautiful Bag Blog. Today, I am thrilled to share with you the joyous occasion of our 100th episode of The Beautiful Bag Podcast. It's an incredible milestone, and I want to take this moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for being a part of this journey. Over the past two years, your support and presence have meant the world to me, and I am truly honored to have you by my side as we celebrate this momentous occasion. So, let's dive in and reflect on the amazing stories and growth we've experienced together.

Welcome to another exciting episode of The Beautiful Bag Podcast, where I bring you inspiring stories of individuals who have embraced life with courage and resilience. In today's episode, I am thrilled to introduce Kayla, a remarkable individual who has navigated the challenges of living with an ostomy. Join us as Kayla shares her journey, from the initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis to finding hope, love, and eventually embarking on the beautiful journey of motherhood.

Hey there, amazing reader! Today, we're diving into a topic that holds a special place in the hearts of those living with an ostomy: practicing self-love and confidence. Living with an ostomy can bring its unique set of challenges, but it doesn't define who you are. In fact, it's a testament to your strength, resilience, and ability to embrace life's changes. So, let's embark on a journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love

Hey there, it's LeeAnne, your host at The Beautiful Bag Podcast, and I'm thrilled to welcome you to another inspiring episode. Today, we're diving deep into the impact of ostomy on body image and discovering strategies to cultivate self-acceptance. Together, we'll challenge society's beauty standards and celebrate the incredible resilience and strength of individuals living with ostomies.

Living with an ostomy requires special attention to diet and nutrition. The good news is that with a little bit of knowledge and some smart choices, you can optimize your health and feel great. As a holistic nutritionist and someone who has experienced the challenges of living with an ostomy firsthand, I'm excited to share my top tips for eating well with an ostomy.

Living with an ostomy can be a difficult adjustment for many people. It can be challenging to come to terms with the physical changes that come with having an ostomy, and it's not uncommon to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. However, it's important to remember that an ostomy is nothing to be ashamed of – it's simply a part of who you are.

In this week's episode of "The Beautiful Bag" podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jacqueline, an extraordinary athlete and ice skater. Jacqueline's inspiring story revolves around her battle with Crohn's disease and how it led her to embrace an ileostomy. Despite the challenges she faced, Jacqueline's determination and resilience have allowed her to continue pursuing her passion for ice skating. In this post, I’ll will delve into Jacqueline's journey, exploring her experiences with Crohn's, her decision to undergo surgery, and how she has defied expectations to thrive as an athlete.

Summer is finally here and it's time to hit the beach! But for those of us with ostomies, wearing a swimsuit and managing our ostomy bag in the water can be daunting. However, with a little preparation and confidence, there's no reason why we can't enjoy the sun, sand, and surf like everyone else! Here are my top five tips for feeling confident and rocking your ostomy at the beach this summer.

Seeking support in the ostomy community is a vital aspect of embracing life with an ostomy. Hi, I'm Leanne Hayden, ostomy advocate and host of the Beautiful Bag podcast. In partnership with Hollister Incorporated, I'm excited to share various ways you can find support and build a strong community within the ostomy world. Join me as we explore the power of connection and the resources available to make your ostomy journey a fulfilling and empowering one.

I have a story to share with you that's both embarrassing and hilarious. It happened to me while driving home from an MRI appointment in New York City with my mother and son. I was wearing tight leggings that pressed against my ostomy bag, and I had been trying to push down stool that was coming out of my stoma. Suddenly, the bag unsnapped and a piece of solid stool flew out, causing my mother to scream and my son to ask what was going on.

In this episode of "The Beautiful Bag" podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with LaTesha Harrison, a Crohn's disease advocate. LaTesha shared her journey with Crohn's disease, including her diagnosis at the age of five and her experience with an ostomy since the age of 14. We also discussed the lack of education and information about Crohn's disease, especially for people of color.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Miles, a registered nurse, photographer, and ostomy advocate who has learned to thrive with a chronic illness and an ostomy. Jessica shares her journey with a connective tissue disorder and multiple surgeries, leading to her having a colostomy. She talks about her experiences with doctors and surgeries, and how she has learned to maintain a positive attitude despite her health challenges.

wimming can be such a great exercise and you may or may not have done it prior to having your ostomy and you may be a little bit nervous about attempting it for your first time after having your ostomy surgery. I'll tell you before surgery personally, I lived in my bathing suit. I was always in a bikini. I started to feel after surgery, little more self-conscious about having my ostomy.  Can I swim with it? What happens if the bag breaks? What happens if things fill up? I'm not comfortable being in a bikini. You know what if it shows through my one-piece bathing suit there's so many questions about it. And it can be a little nerve racking trying to get through that.

You've had your ostomy since 2012. So that's like 10 years now?

Yes. anniversary, and I'm so excited. In September, we're gonna celebrate in some way.   I love it. I love it. And it's not that you want to celebrate it. So why do you want to celebrate it? Like what? Why is it such a beautiful thing?  Because it's a crazy amount of time. 10 years with an ileostomy because from the beginning, it was said that I would have it for two years. And back then it felt like that was forever. How am I going to do this? And now, like my years has literally flown by. And I mean, my bag, which I'm calling Guna. It's a Swedish name. It's his birthday. So, I of course I had to celebrate.

This week’s guest is Stefanie and we met on Instagram

·       Wait until you hear her accent!  She was doing some amazing things out there on social media and I knew we needed her on the show. 

·       She is a 22 year old college student with her ostomy.

·       Lives in Scotland 

• This week’s guest is Chium and we met on Instagram.

• She was out there with her Ostomy working out, doing all that fun stuff I love and I just needed to know her because she is such an inspiration out there!

• Today’s guest is Amy Hart

• In an Ileostomy due to colon cancer

• Mom to 2 little girls. 

• She has an amazing story, going through Colon cancer THROUGH covid! 

• This episode is about my journey for my new listeners. 

• I have shared a lot of other stories with others, but it is rare that I share my story often and my Ostomy journey. 

• What led me into having an Ostomy.

• What I have done over the years.

• Cancer and ending up in an Ostomy.

• My mindset and my growth.

• Have Ostomy because of Cancer

• Had cancer in 1995. Cervical Cancer.

  • Right after had her son.

  • I could not have any more children after that

  • Stage 3 

• Had a colostomy during some of those treatment periods. 

• Happened 27 years ago.

• Had to have the colostomy then, things were not as good then as they are now.