Mum told she couldn't swim in leisure centre pool due to colostomy bag

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A disabled mum was told she couldn't take go swimming at a leisure centre pool due to wearing a colostomy bag.Ruth Hussey, 49, says swimming is the only exercise she can do due to the extent of the nerve damage she experiences from the waist down which has led to her undergoing 32 operations in nine years.She claims that when her teenage daughter called a leisure centre to ask a possible membership, she was told her mum would not be welcome.Ruth said: “I love swimming – it’s the only exercise I can do because of nerve damage from the waist down – and to be told no has really knocked my confidence.

All I wanted to do was have a little swim with my children and be a mum. It broke me."It might sound silly to other people but when you used to be free spirited and now you’re disabled it’s hard.

In the water you can’t see that I have any disability – it helps me and it’s a beautiful therapy."Ruth’s15-year-old daughter Megan contacted the centre in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, to as about a membership for herself.

While on the phone she also queried if there would be any problems with her mum coming along for a dip while using a stoma bag.Megan claims a member of staff told her that would not be possible and no further explanation was given.After ending the call, Ruth experienced a 30-minute seizure triggered by how upset she was.