History of MMOA
Metro Maryland Ostomy Association (MMOA) has distinguished itself over the past 37 years as one of the largest and tenured ostomy support groups in the Mid-Atlantic region. Established in 1974 by Founder and President Emeritus Horace Saunders, MMOA's focus and purpose has been to:
- Assist, educate, and provide support to all persons who may require or who have undergone ostomy surgery resulting in a colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, and/or alternate diversionary procedures.
- Educate those involved in the care of ostomy patients
MMOA's Founder
Horace Saunders was born in England and served in the British Army in the jungles of the China/Burma/India Theater where, after 4 1/2 years, he was diagnosed with amoebic dysentery. Soon after Horace immigrated to the United States to pursue his dream of owning a custom tailoring business, a trade he learned from his father. While working in the DC Metro area, he developed ulcerative colitis. Trying many drugs and being bedridden at home for eight years, he found a surgeon in 1969 willing to perform ileostomy surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery had to be redone two months later. Finally, after a difficult and lengthy recovery Horace had became uncomfortably aware of the very limited knowledge of ostomy care amongst nurses and doctors, and the lack of information available in general. Thus began his life advocacy for improving the lives of ostomates. His three-part plan resulted in:
- More than 100 nurses trained as ETs (Enterstomal Therapists) and every metro-area hospital and all Maryland hospitals staffed with at least one ET nurse. He helped these ET nurses form support groups which later became the WOCN, Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses Association which is an active organization today.
- Twelve (12) ostomy chapters organized and attached to every Metro-DC area hospital in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, with MMOA being the first.
- More than 100 young people, 6-16 years old, brought together at picnics, sports activities, dances, and boat trips on the Chesapeake Bay. This all led to the annual youth conference nationwide, which continues today.
Horace gained the support of the American Cancer Society officials and United Way, met with hospital medical boards and all Maryland hospital directors of nurses. He has been interviews on radio and television, promoted better ostomy supplies and equipment, and advocated for insurance reimbursements. To quote Bernard Heckman, MD, who has worked closely with Horace through the years, "Horace is a 'mountain-mover' who sees things that need change and works every day to make that change come about. He is a mover of people and a mover of hearts."
The influence of Horace's passion and commitment to improve the lives of ostomates has extended far beyond the Metro-DC area to much of the United States. He opened the eyes of the medical world and product manufacturers to the needs of ostomates.
For details on the life of Horace Saunders and his wife and full-time partner, Vi, click "The Making of Metro Maryland Ostomy Association."
