House Resolution 5 - Introduced HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 5 BY JACOBY A Resolution designating the first Saturday of October, 1 annually, as Ostomy Awareness Day. 2 WHEREAS, an ostomy is a type of surgery that creates 3 an opening in the abdomen that allows for the removal 4 of bodily waste into an ostomy pouch on the outside of 5 the body or a surgically created internal reservoir 6 when a person has lost the normal function of digestive 7 or urinary systems due to various medical conditions 8 or injuries; and 9 WHEREAS, approximately 725,000 to 1 million 10 Americans have an ostomy, with approximately 100,000 11 new ostomy procedures performed each year; and 12 WHEREAS, ostomy or continent diversion surgery 13 can occur at any age and does not lower life 14 expectancy; and 15 WHEREAS, Americans needing these surgeries are 16 becoming more aware of opportunities for education, 17 mutual aid, advocacy, and support that are of great 18 benefit to them and their families; and 19 WHEREAS, the state is committed to increasing 20 public understanding of ostomy and to dispelling 21 fear of this surgery, reminding the public that this 22 is a life-saving procedure, and supporting public 23 education to ensure those who are living with ostomy 24 face no discrimination and are accepted as healthy 25 individuals; and 26 WHEREAS, to increase public acceptance of ostomy 27 surgery and continent diversion surgery and to 28 -1- LSB 1856YH (2) 89 pf/rn 1/ 2