Team Colostomy UK takeover this Sunday
25/07/2024
This week, at the Eagles Men’s game against Whitehaven, we are delighted to welcome our partners from Colostomy UK and Team Colostomy to Olympic Legacy Park for our ‘Big Day Out’ event – where the Eagles and Team Colostomy’s inclusive rugby league teams will go head-to-head to raise awareness of stoma care and inclusive rugby league.
Over the course of the day, the two teams will battle it out in exhibition matches of Wheelchair Rugby League at the English Institute of Sport; Touch and PDRL at Olympic Legacy Park before the Eagles’ Men’s game against Whitehaven, and Walking Touch at half time of the Men’s game.
Eagles Foundation Disability Inclusion Officer, Jack Pemberton, said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to welcome Team Colostomy UK to Sheffield to continue our work together in inclusive rugby league. Colostomy UK do some fantastic and really important work for the people and families that they support, and we’re delighted to be able to give them the platform of an Eagles home match where we can hopefully boost the profile of their work and their message even further.
To find out more about Team Colostomy UK, we spoke to Giovanni Cinque, Marketing and Campaigns Manager at Colostomy UK, to find out more about the charity’s work and involvement in rugby league.
First of all, who are Colostomy UK and Team Colostomy UK?
“Team Colostomy UK are the Rugby League team of Colostomy UK, a national charity that exists to make a positive difference for anyone impacted by any kind of stoma or stoma surgery.
Your first thought might be what is a stoma? Well, a stoma is an opening on the surface of the abdomen which has been surgically created to divert the flow of faeces or urine.
It is estimated over 200,000 people in the UK are currently living with a stoma, that’s 1 in 335 of us.
Individuals of all ages can have a stoma, and there are a number of reasons why people can need one including bowel and bladder cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease or Colitis, or following a trauma to the abdomen.
Historically there has been a perception within society that only old people have stomas, and that they are life limiting too. In fact, more often than while having a stoma is life changing, it’s also life enabling.
We wanted to do something that would both paint stomas in a positive light, so challenging and changing those perceptions society can have, while at the same time inspiring those that are living with stomas to take on their own challenges.
How did Team Colostomy UK become involved in Rugby League?
“Back in 2018, we came up with the idea of a Rugby League team, after all what greater example could their if we wanted to show that people with stomas can do anything, than playing a collision sport like League.
Our first game was in July 2018 against Medway Dragons in Kent, and since then we’ve gone from strength to strength. We initially played a modified version of Masters Rugby, adopting gold shorts for games so that those who didn’t want / weren’t able to play contact, could still join in, and over the last couple of years we have moved over to PDRL.
Our PDRL team plays 6 or 7 games a year because we want to be able to create some impact and tell a story around each fixture. This could be who we are playing against, why we’re playing them or where, and of course reach as many people as we can while doing so. We’ve played Bradford Bulls PDRL at Odsal, Leeds Rhinos at Hunslet, had curtain raisers to Batley Games, and last month beat the Welsh PDRL team in Pontypridd.
At the beginning of 2024 we decided to branch out and also have a go at Wheelchair Rugby League, and in reality, that’s why we’re here today!
We wanted to be able to offer an alternative to PDRL, both to attract new players, but also allow those for whom the running game was becoming a challenge, an opportunity to stay involved.
How did the partnership with the Eagles Foundation begin?
“We held a taster session with the Eagles Foundation back in January, and the feedback was brilliant. Since then, we’ve played our first game against Brentwood Eels, and then followed that with a trip to Gravesned Dynamite. We’re delighted though that today ‘Purps on Wheels’ are back where it all started with a game against Sheffield Eagles Gold.
We’re really proud to also be showcasing Touch and Walking Rugby with the Eagles Foundation today, and we’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to Jack Pemberton and everyone at Sheffield Eagles for their support. We look forward to growing what’s already a great relationship.
If you would like to find out more about Team Colostomy UK you can follow them on X or Instagram @TeamColostomyUK
If you or anyone you know needs support with any aspect of life with a stoma Colostomy UK have a 24 hour stoma helpline 0800 328 4257. You can also visit www.ColostomyUK.org for more information on how you can support their work.
