PLEASE DONATE OSTOMY SUPPLIES TO:

The Friends of Ostomates Worldwide-USA is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization providing ostomy supplies and educational materials to ostomates in need around the world.

Through Project SHARE (Sending Help and Rehabilitation Everywhere) FOW-USA collects new, surplus ostomy supplies from generous individuals and organizations in the United States and ships them to developing countries where ostomates do not have access to these vital supplies. The donated products are sent to the FOW-USA warehouse space in the Chicago area at the donors’ own expense. A team of volunteers gathers at the warehouse regularly to unpack the supplies, organize them, match the donations with needs, and repack them for shipment overseas. A volunteer Shipping Coordinator communicates with organizations in the receiving country, such as hospitals, clinics, ostomy associations and other groups, to identify product needs and assure that the supplies will be distributed free of charge to needy ostomates. See Request for Help. From its founding in 1986 through January, 2007, FOW-USA has shipped 221,938 pounds of ostomy supplies to 60 countries worldwide. The value of these supplies is estimated at $11,088,885. See Shipping History for details.

FOW-USA also sends medical journals to ostomy-specialist doctors and nurses in developing countries and has purchased video cameras for clinics in Zimbabwe and Pakistan to help experienced professionals teach both health workers and ostomates about ostomy care.

FOW-USA relies on supply donations, financial memberships and contributions to continue its important work. Information on how you can contribute can be found on the Donations page of the website.

You may order free copies of the FOW-USA newsletter or brochure or view them on this website. FOW-USA also has a presentation describing the work of the organization available in VHS or DVD which can be borrowed for showing at ostomy-related or other meetings. Additionally, the ostomy care guidebooks originally published by the United Ostomy Association are available in English and in Spanish by clicking on ostomy care guidebooks.

Contact Us at info@fowusa.org

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