Doug's Tips for Hiking with an Ostomy | Fight CRC

Home » Blog » Doug’s Tips for Hiking with an OstomyJune 28, 2020Long summer days are a great time to enjoy the outdoors – especially hiking. But before hitting the trails, it’s important to be prepared. Doug Dallman, stage III colorectal cancer survivor, is an avid hiker and nature enthusiast. He’s also an ostomate. Here are his tips for hiking with an ostomy.Q: How long have you been hiking/backpacking with an ostomy?I was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer in 2010. I was 40 years old and my tumor was detected during a routine physical (despite having symptoms that went misdiagnosed/undiagnosed for years). I responded well to chemotherapy and radiation, but surgery left me with a permanent colostomy. I’ve been cancer free for over eight years. I was back on the trail in the summer of 2011. I started with short day hikes once I had my strength back and eventually worked my way up to multi-day backpacking trips.Q: What types of barriers/challenges have you encountered out on a trail...