UA Online Support Group, January 2026

It can be valuable to speak with others who truly understand what life is like with a urostomy.

So do come along to our online support group, hear from a subject matter expert or two, and meet with fellow urostomates to mingle, share experiences and top tips.

Subject matter experts joining us include:

Louise Hoolighan – Louise is a Stoma Nurse Specialist at NHS Golden Jubilee in Clydebank, Glasgow. She has worked in this role for around three years. Prior to that, she was a Stoma Nurse for NHS Lothian. In that post she worked closely with people having urostomy surgeries, as well as post operatively in clinic.

Overall Louise has nearly 18 years’ experience working with colorectal/urology surgical patients. She will be giving a presentation on identifying and reducing the risk of UTIs.

Kate Sainsbury – Kate lives in Cornwall. As a result of nerve damage following a sacral fracture, she had surgery to create a urostomy in 2003, and in 2008 underwent further surgery, this time to create a colostomy.

Until she retired, Kate was an Associate Lecturer in Health and Social Care with the Open University doing quite a bit of research work as well as teaching the students, many of whom were nurses. She is also active in presenting dogs at dog shows and enjoys crochet.

Kate has been a volunteer with the Urostomy Association and Colostomy UK for many years, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience, which is why we’re particularly pleased that she’s contributing to this event, on the topic of leaks.

This event has already finished