Sutherland man determined to mark launch of foundation after surgery

Cancer survivor climbs Ben Nevis to fly the flag

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A Sutherland man who underwent radical surgery due to bowel and bladder cancer climbed Ben Nevis at the weekend to launch a charity that will help improve the lives of people who have undergone similar surgery.

When Steve O'Donnell, 34, of Ardgay, and the 16 volunteers who joined him on the arduous trip up the UK’s highest peak reached the summit, they flew a 3ft-long colostomy bag from a flagpole to mark the launch of The Life Goes On Foundation.

He said they took about eight hours to complete the ascent and descent of the 4,406ft mountain and are hoping to have raised around £5,000 for the new Scotland-wide charity.

One of the volunteers was Kenny Campbell, 67, of Bonar Bridge, who spent four days heaving a church organ up to the top of Ben Nevis 37 years ago in aid of charity, and he had offered to carry Mr O’Donnell if he could not complete the climb.

Mr O’Donnell said he had his colon, bladder and prostate removed in June 2005 when it was discovered he had a cancerous tumour in his pelvic area during a scan following a car accident.

He was then faced with having to live the rest of his life with ostomies, which are diversions to the abdominal wall, or internal pouches.

Just three months ago, he underwent further extensive surgery.

But he was determined to make it to the top of Ben Nevis on Sunday.

“The weather was terrible and my stomach was a bit tender coming back down, but I made it under my own steam,” said Mr O’Donnell.

He added that he had launched the foundation because there was very little information available to people facing such surgical procedures. He said: “The aims of the foundation are to provide potential ostomy or internal pouch wearers with an informative diary prior to surgery and provide donated ostomy supplies to those in developing countries and areas of natural disasters, who have neither the funds nor access to medical aid.”

The foundation also supplies fashionable ostomy pouch covers and information on accessible ostomy supplies. It aims to smash the stigma surrounding ostomies. The foundation’s website, under construction, can be found at www.thelifegoesonfoundation.org.uk