An inspirational young woman from County Derry is set to prove you really can do anything with a stoma – even skydiving.
Aneica Duffy was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2011 after months of experiencing alarming and unpleasant symptoms.
Now aged 21, Aneica has undergone two major operations in the last two years.
She had a stoma fitted in 2014 and in February this year, she underwent surgery for eight hours.
Despite all this Aneica has refused to let the inflammatory bowel condition stop her from doing the things she loves.
She has recently returned to training with Banagher camogs and Dungiven ladies football team and is now looking forward to two championship matches.
The bubbly Foreglen woman, who intends to return to studying in September in an effort to pursue a career in stoma nursing, has also set her sights on completing a skydive in October.
The skydive, which will take place at the Wild Geese Centre in Garvagh on October 9, has been organised to coincide with Aneica’s second ‘stoma-versary’.
“It’s almost two years since I had surgery to have my stoma fitted so I wanted to do something to mark that,” said the former St Patrick’s College, Maghera student.
“I wanted to raise money from the skydive to give to the Let’s Talk Crohn’s and Colitis charity and the NHS stoma services as they have been so good to me. I have set a target of £500 and hope to split that between the two organisations. My stoma nurses Pauline, Fiona and Debbie have been fantastic. They always make me feel so calm, even if I am having a bad day, and I’d be lost without them. They provide such a valuable service and I want to give something back to them.”
Aneica admits that she would never have considered taking on a skydive before but says she is ‘excited’ about taking part.
“After my surgery in February, I couldn’t even walk. After the surgery it was always my goal to get back out there onto the pitch and to play camogie and football again. Now that I’m back training with the football and camogie teams, it has given me such a lift as I am doing something I really love.
“It’s the same with the skydive. I want to experience things like that. There is such a stigma attached to stoma bags that I feel I should share my experiences to prove that it shouldn’t stop you from doing the things you want to.
“Given everything I have been through over the last few years, I think the skydive will be wee buns to me,” laughed Aneica.
To make a donation to Aneica’s sky dive fundraiser, click here
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