Endurance for empathy: PurpleDot receives Nedbank Desert Dash backing for stoma support

Picture an expansive desert, seemingly endless, with towering dunes and challenging terrains. Beyond the landscape, this is also a metaphor for the journey taken by many Namibians who live with a stoma. It’s a path filled with obstacles, yet one that holds the promise of reaching an oasis of understanding and support, much like the Nedbank Desert Dash.

The longest single-stage mountain bike race in the world goes live this coming Friday for its ninetieth year, and once again, it will take cyclists on a daunting – but most-fulfilling – 397 km journey through the world’s oldest desert.

The PurpleDot Project is the brainchild of a dedicated private nurse practitioner who specialises in stoma care and is herself an ostomate.

The problem in Namibia is stark. Those who undergo life-altering surgeries resulting in stomas, such as a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy, face physical challenges, societal stigma and a lack of adequate medical support.

Living with a stoma (a surgical opening created for the elimination of waste) changes an individual’s life drastically because they have to adapt to a new way of managing their bodily functions. Yet, in Namibia, awareness around this issue is limited, support is scarce and medical expertise in this field is in dire need. The gap between the needs of ostomates and the resources available to them often leaves them feeling isolated and misunderstood. PurpleDot wants to address this vital need.