October 2026 marks the first ever Urostomy Awareness Month, and in this episode of Real Women, Real Stories, Julie joins us to help break the stigma, start conversations and raise awareness of what it means to live with a urostomy.
Julie was just four years old when doctors discovered she didn't have a bladder and she had life-changing stoma surgery in 1975.
But having a urostomy has certainly never defined what Julie can do.
Inspired byโand determined to keep up withโher older brother, Julie threw herself into sport from an early age. She attended mainstream school, joined in with swimming lessons and developed an attitude to life that has seen her continually challenge expectations.
Today, Julie is a qualified Pilates instructor who happily takes on multiple classes at her local gym. She's cycled coast to coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, run marathons and continues to lead an incredibly active life.
In this uplifting conversation, we talk about:
Julie's story is a wonderful reminder that our circumstances don't have to determine the size of our lives.
By sharing her story during the first Urostomy Awareness Month, Julie hopes to increase understanding, challenge misconceptions and show what's possible when we focus on what we can do rather than what we can't.
If Julie's story inspires you, please share this episode. You might just help someone living with a urostomy feel a little less aloneโand help more people understand life with a stoma.
If you're looking for practical ways to improve your wellbeing, this episode is packed with simple, evidence-based advice that you can start putting into practice today.
Every episode is designed to help you become 1% happier and healthier, one small step at a time.
A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.
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