Certified Ostomy Visitors
Become A Certified Ostomy Visitor!
The purpose of the Ostomy Visitor Program is to reduce the emotional burden of people who have undergone or will undergo ostomy or j-pouch surgery so they may return to their former physical, social, and economic status. The program aims to make trained visitors available to people and their support persons via in-hospital visits, phone, or virtual calls such as Zoom. If you want to assist others in their ostomy or j-pouch journey, please consider training to become a certified visitor.
Calgary Ostomy is looking for volunteers of all ages with all surgery types, including ileostomy, colostomy, urostomy, j-pouch, ostomy reversal and double ostomies.
Certified Ostomy Visitors will be matched with new patients of similar demographics and surgery type. The time requirements are minimal, as volunteers will be called upon as needed. Volunteers will be recertified every five years.
There are three requirements to become a Certified Ostomy Visitor:
- Completion of the Ostomy Canada Visitor Training Program. The coordinator will arrange this for you.
- Link to Ostomy Canada e-Learning Portal: www.ostomy.talentlms.com
- Active membership with the Calgary Ostomy Society. The cost is $30/year*.
- A recent background check, (approximately $25*), completed by your local law enforcement detachment; ask for the background check specifically for those in a volunteer/hospital setting. Once you commit to the training session, we will provide a personalized letter for you to take to law enforcement.
- Calgary Police Service – Police Information Check
- RCMP – Criminal Record Check
* Both of these items are at your cost. The membership helps support patients Canada-wide.
We ask you to provide these specific critical pieces of information to the Coordinator so that we can track our Visitors on a national basis. Your information is also required so the Ostomy Canada Society’s national office can send your Congratulatory Letter, Certificate, and Visitor Card upon course completion. It will also provide insurance coverage through the national policy.
For more information about the Ostomy Visitor Program, please visit our website,
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Visiting Coordinator, Kaylee Janse.
