Our Ambassador

Hi, I'm Addyson. I am an active 7 year old who has had over 9 procedures/surgeries which have required anesthesia. I have a rare periodic fever syndrome, seizures, asthma, no tear glands and chronic pseudo obstruction. Over the past few years, my GI issues really became a huge problem medically and I had to go inpatient a few times for cleanouts, then I ended up getting a cecostomy in 2017. At first, we thought the cecostomy was going to be the answer but before long even with twice a day flushes each xray/symptom got worse. In February of 2019 I had my ileostomy surgery. I was unsure of when I would be able to get back to school and sports. However, my surgical team cleared me for all activities 10 days post surgery and exactly 12 days later I was back on the competition mat competing at nationals with my cheer organization.

I chose Stealth Belt because it holds the bag close to my stomach. It keeps it secure under my clothes. I have gone to tumbling class, cheer and softball with my Stealth Belt. We even went to a pool while on vacation just 12 days post surgery and I wore the Stealth Belt. It is not heavy, it doesn't pull on the bag, it makes the bag feel more secure while I am active. Life after surgery has been an adjustment, but I am out of constant pain and am even more active now than I was before.

I wanted to become an ambassador for Stealth Belt because they have a product that allowed me to regain my confidence and keep pushing forward through a surgery that changed my daily life. I want to show other kids that they can do this too. They can keep pushing forward and get back to all their activities from prior to their ostomy.

I had a hospitalization over a holiday back in 2017, and I decided at Christmas I wanted each child at my local children's center to be able to have a tree in their room. For the past two years I have collected enough trees, tree toppers, ornaments, lights and tree skirts to ensure each child at the center had a tree in their room for Christmas. I understand what it's like to spend holidays in the hospital, and I want to just send a little bit of cheer to them over the holiday season.