Committee

Brigitte SiefkenChair and membership

Lesley CainSecretary and membership

Clare MeeIA Together lead and One2One support volunteer

SamanthaCommittee Member and social media

Lucy WebbCommittee member and events

Brigitte Siefken

Chair and membership

Hi, I’m Brigitte. I’m the Chair and membership contact for Notts and Derbyshire IA, and I also sit on the Internal Pouch Sub-committee of IA National.

My route to surgery was an unusual one. Out of the blue in October 2011, a chance conversation with a doctor led me down a path no-one expected. I had neither UC nor Crohns and was really healthy, so being told I needed colorectal surgery to prevent cancer appearing within 2 -20 years was devastating. Utterly floored, I found IA. The visitor chats changed my perspective and helped me as I waited for surgery – the first in April 2014 and the second in July 2016 when I went from my loop ileostomy to living with my j-pouch.

Between the two operations I joined my local IA committee, wanting to offer others the kindness and support I had been shown. It really matters to me that no-one is left feeling as isolated and clueless as I was initially. If I can ease the path of just a handful of others, I will have done my job.

Lesley Cain

Secretary and membership

Hi, my name is Lesley. I am the secretary of the Notts & Derby IA committee. I was born in 1960 and have lived in various parts of the UK, moving to Hucknall in Nottingham nearly six years ago.

My working life has been spent working in hospital laboratories and, once recovered from my initial and second surgeries, I did continue to work for a while but have now retired from full time employment, although I do still do some work on a consultancy basis to keep my hand in.

My ulcerative colitis was a sudden onset in 2018, and following six months of increasing illness and debility, culminated in emergency surgery to remove my colon and to create my ileostomy ‘ George” in June 2018. A year later there was further surgery. ( Proctectomy and closure) which took several months to heal. I am very grateful to the NHS for my care and glad to say that I did recover in the end and that since the operation in June 2019, I have mostly been well.

I joined the IA very soon after my first surgery and have found it to be a very supportive and helpful organisation and would now like to pass on that same support to others.

Clare Mee

IA Together lead and One2One support volunteer

Hi, I am the IA Together rep, and website editor for the Notts & Derby branch of the IA. I am also the One2One support contact for Notts and Derbys IA.

My own stoma journey started on 3rd April 2016 with a Crohns colitis flare that wouldn’t settle with medical intervention. I have had Crohns colitis for many years so had hoped to improve with this flare, but it ended with me being very unwell and needing surgery within a day of my surgeon seeing me. I am pleased to say that I was lucky enough to have Mr Abercrombie as my surgeon, who is our very own president of Notts & Derby IA. Because I was so unwell I did have complications that are still ongoing with further surgeries, but am glad to have my ileostomy as my overall health has improved. I found out about the Notts & Derby IA through a friend and now enjoy being an active part of the committee.

Samantha

Committee Member and social media

I had my stoma formed in 2018 following many years of troublesome neurogenic bowel dysfunction, after an incomplete spinal cord injury. It was a huge decision and life-changing event and I am indebted to the wonderful support of charities such as IA. I would love to use my experiences to help others learn to live well with their stomas and by joining the committee for the Notts & Derby IA group, I hope to achieve this.

Lucy Webb

Committee member and events

Hi I’m Lucy. I joined the IA just after getting my ileostomy 2 years ago. I have ulcerative colitis which is the reason for my stoma. The IA helped me so much and so I felt joining the committee would be good. I would like to provide support to those who need it and if possible raise more awareness about living with a stoma.