Many nurses work very hard to help patients deal with the psychosocial challenges they face after having an ostomy. This ad does NOT support our efforts to enhance the patient's body image after ostomy!!!! The add suggests that an ostomy makes this woman "lesser" or unworthy. It associates feelings of guilt by suggesting it is her "punishment." This is not the image the public needs to have of any ostomate. We don't need this negative light shining on people with ostomies. The add portrays her as fearful to leave her home because it is "smelly" and she is afraid of leaks.
Please sign the petition to remove the add, by copying and pasting this link in your browser:
https://www.change.org/p/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-remove-tobacco-colon-cancer-advertisement#petition-letter
There are ways to target smoking cessation without causing undue judgment on someone who may already be suffering with concerns about body image and mortality. Don't give the public ammunition to further discrimination practices.
