A woman has begun a mission to make public toilets accessible for people with stoma bags - in honour of a close friend who passed away.

Annie Jenkins, 36, who also uses a stoma bag, discussed the challenges that people with stomas face in public bathrooms with friend Cristian Raymond, who had stoma surgery in 2022, after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.

The pair decided to start a campaign to make public toilets more accessible - but sadly, just three days after their conversation, Cristian passed away on January 14 last year.

Annie decided to keep her promise, and started Cristian's Change Campaign, beginning a year-long process to encourage hospitals, supermarkets and businesses in their hometown of Penzance to adapt their facilities to accommodate people with stomas.

Annie said: “The idea came from my friend Cristian, who was married to my good friend, Emma.”

“He also had a stoma bag as a result of complications from bowel cancer, so we had a conversation a few days before he passed about stomas and how he wanted to make a difference in the world.

“He’d been caught short out in public a few times and realised that the facilities for people with stoma bags are slim to none.

“He said that once he got out of hospital, we were going to put our heads together and start a campaign to get stoma-friendly toilets.

“We were going to get it up and running when he was better and out of hospital, but then he passed away on 14 January last year.

“It was brutal and very heartbreaking. Because I’d made him this promise, I created the campaign myself, and I’ve spent the last 12 months sending emails and having meetings with people to get the change out there.”

Annie explained that minor changes can be made to existing facilities to make them suitable for people with stomas - including simply adding a shelf and a mirror to toilet cubicles.

“If you go into a standard public toilet, it’s just a tiny little cubicle,” she said.

“There may be a hook on the back of the door to hang your coat, but there’s nowhere to place your fresh stoma bag and all the supplies.

“In a standard cubicle, you don’t have a shelf to put the bits on that you need, and you don’t have a running tap – unless it’s a disabled toilet.

“There’s no mirror, and some people need to see a mirror to get underneath their stoma bag.

“Changing a stoma bag is more than just removing one bag and putting another one on – there are several products involved, and several methods depending on the person and how theirs works.

“It's just a shelf, a mirror, some running water, and a sanitary bin - that’s all it takes, and these things aren’t always provided in a toilet.”

She described the anxiety that people with stomas regularly experience when faced with a potential stoma bag leak - and believes these minor changes could make a big difference in the lives of the estimated 200,000 people across the UK currently living with a stoma.

“Living with a stoma causes high anxiety at the best of times, and when you’re faced with a leak, and you’ve got facilities that aren’t suitable to your needs, that heightens the anxiety even more.

“Once you’ve been in that situation, it can take you an awful lot of time to recover from that.

“As a result of not having the correct toilet facilities, you’re potentially having to get from A to B while covered in your own faeces.

“This is why it’s so important that we have the facilities there that are adapted so that everybody can use them.”

After a year of hard work on the campaign, reaching out to local organisations and arranging meetings to discuss changes, Annie was told that her local West Cornwall Hospital would be taking her feedback on board, and including stoma-friendly facilities in their new renovation.

She received the news during the same week of the first anniversary of Cristian's passing - and says it was a bittersweet moment that she wishes her friend could have been there for.

She said. “There have been times where I’ve sat and cried and wanted to bash my head against a wall because people don’t respond to emails, or just respond saying no, but I've had a positive meeting at West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance.”

“They are undergoing renovations for a brand new outpatient building, and this has been implemented into the building work – and their public toilets are also being refurbed, and that’s now being included as well.

“I got the confirmation from the hospital about the change of toilets the same week as Cristian’s first anniversary of his passing.

“Emotions were very high because of the time of year, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. In that horrible, dark time, it was fabulous news to be able to pass on to his wife.

“It’s bittersweet – it’s something that I’m really happy and proud of, but it's tainted by sadness because he should be here.

“Cristian is the driving force behind this campaign, and it makes me sad that he’s not here to see the progress that he’s made.

“People have been telling me well done, and that I’ve been making a change – but it’s not me that’s making the change. It’s Cristian; it’s 100 per cent down to him.

“It’s all because he said, “let’s make this happen.” He’s not here anymore, so this is his legacy to be continued – and it’s working, and I’m proud of it.

“It’s slowly happening – and it wouldn’t have been done had I not had this conversation with Cristian. I made him a promise, and I can’t go back on that promise whether he’s here or not.”

Annie now hopes to take the campaign further - encouraging other nearby hospitals to follow suit, and reaching out to local supermarkets to implore them to make the change.

She has vowed to keep pushing for change, so that people with stomas can use facilities with ease and dignity.

“Hopefully the more people that change, the more places will take note and realise how simple it is,” said Annie.

“For some places, it’s just a simple change of adding one or two of these things. It doesn’t cost an awful lot of money to have these things changed.

“Toilets should cater to absolutely everybody, and it’s such a simple change.

“Everybody needs to take note – if you’re a business owner, please just make a few changes.

“If you make one person’s experience in a public place a little bit better, then that’s worth it. It’s so easy and it’s mind-boggling that it isn’t already being done.”