The beginnings: Expatriate Ostomates of the Costa Blanca (EOCB)

EOCB was founded in Jávea in 1997 by Cynthia Robinson. It comprised a fluctuating group of local ostomists who, like her, sought mutual support and the opportunity to assist others. Contacts were made through doctors and the local hospitals, and by referrals from the British Colostomy Association.

The first major project was a collaboration with the Benidorm Social Services Department who were collecting and transporting relief supplies into the refugee camps in Kosovo resulting from the 1999/2000 wars in that area. Many individual 'shoe boxes' of ostomy materials were delivered to the Red Cross outlets there.

In 2002, the Fourth World Ostomy Day (October 25th) was celebrated by EOCB by participation in the world wide e-mail link-up of over 30 countries, and by gathering together in Jávea representatives of the several isolated Spanish ostomy groups with whom it had made contact. The aim was to start a movement towards some form of federation to represent Spain officially in both national and international ostomy matters, -and that effort is now bearing fruit.

The serving Committee of EOCB constituted themselves as a 'Junta Provisional' in 2003 for the purpose of registering and initiating an organisation at national level - the EOS.

EOS has evolved as a national organisation with national and international connections and affiliations.

The Fifth World Ostomy Day (October 2006)

WOD5 was celebrated in Spain by the series of events organised by EOS on successive weeks - microlighting at Benicolet, our first full day Seminar held at the Jávea Parador, and a dinner dance in Torrevieja.

EOS national affiliation: FEDAO

The Spanish 'Federación de Asociaciones de Ostomizados' (FEDAO) was formally constituted in Bilbao at the ARGIA Congress in 2006 and inaugurated with the eight Spanish ostomy associations and EOS at Zaragoza in September 2006. EOS, as a 'vocal' member of the Junta Directiva , is responsible to it for international liaison.

International connections/affiliation

The strong connections that EOS has with the three UK associations (the Colostomy Association, the Urostomy Association and the Ileostomy Association) have been the source of much of our membership and early support.

In 2004, EOS was invited to join the International Ostomy Association (IOA) and took its seat on the World Ostomy Council at the Porto Congress in that year. Our international connections through the IOA were greatly strengthened at the Puerto Rico Congress in August 2007 at which we represented Spain through FEDAO (although the Federation itself has yet to join IOA).