On this special episode of WOCTalk we sit down with Joanna Burgess, BSN, RN, CWOCN. Joanna is a full scope practicing Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) nurse working for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Cary, North Carolina where she facilitated the opening of their first outpatient ostomy clinic. Joanna‘s contributions to WOC nursing include serving three years on the WOCN Society’s Ostomy Committee where she helped in developing the "Pediatric Ostomy Complications: Best Practice for Clinicians". Her passion for ostomy care stems from her 51-year journey of living with an ostomy since the age of three. Joanna was the 2011 National Great Comebacks® recipient and has shared her story on a state and national level. She was named the 2016 WOC Nurse of the Year for the southeast region of the United States, and is honored to serve on the board for United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA). Joanna has also been appointed as the Chairperson for UOAA’s Advocacy Committee. During this episode, we speak to Joanna about her healthcare journey, her career as a WOC nurse, her involvement with the UOAA and Ostomy Awareness Day, which is celebrated this year on Saturday, October 5th. For more information about Ostomy Awareness Day, visit ostomy.org/ostomy-awareness-day.

United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports, empowers, and advocates for people who have had or who will have ostomy or continent diversion surgery. For more information, visit ostomy.org.