Holly Fleet Celebrates Stoma Representation on TV: A Step Forward for Awareness
Influencer Holly Fleet, also known as @stomababe, praises the stoma representation in Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, advocating for more awareness of life with a stoma bag.
BollywoodFever: Soaps have long been a platform to highlight real-life issues to millions of viewers, often shedding light on topics that may be underrepresented. When Hollyoaks and Coronation Street introduced storylines featuring characters who became ostomates — people who have undergone stoma surgery — influencer and journalist Holly Fleet, known as @stomababe, was thrilled.
Holly, 30, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that led to severe complications, resulting in life-saving stoma surgery in November 2021. Eight months later, she underwent a proctectomy, where her rectum was removed and sewn shut. Today, Holly lives a happy life with her stoma and is a proud mum to her daughter, Scarlett.
Stoma surgery creates an opening on the abdomen, allowing waste to be collected in a stoma bag. Holly is a passionate advocate for stoma representation and awareness, with over 100,000 TikTok followers and 20,000 Instagram fans. She’s thrilled to see primetime TV showcasing characters like Hollyoaks‘ Mercedes and Coronation Street‘s Bethany, who are living with stoma bags.
It’s about time stoma bags are being showcased on the small screen after years of zero representation,” Holly said in an exclusive interview. “This portrayal is a significant step forward for those living with stomas and will hopefully raise awareness in the public’s consciousness.”
Holly also reflected on the broader impact of these storylines, noting that Hollyoaks’ Mercedes is dealing with terminal cancer, a storyline that is likely to evoke strong emotions for viewers, especially those in similar circumstances. She hopes that these portrayals will help the public understand that anyone, regardless of age or background, can have a stoma, and that life doesn’t end because of it.
Holly remains hopeful for future representation, not just in TV but also in film, envisioning a romantic comedy or drama featuring a lead character with a stoma navigating everyday life. “We need to showcase the lifestyle side of having a stoma, the adaptations, and the compromises. It’s important for the public to see how a stoma bag can improve someone’s quality of life, instead of being considered a last resort,” Holly concluded.
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