Amy Bamford Shares Abdominal Hernia Online After 13 Surgeries, Building Support Network
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 30
Amy Bamford Shares Abdominal Hernia Online After 13 Surgeries, Building Support Network
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 30
36-year-old Amy Bamford said posting photos of her large abdominal hernia on Facebook and Instagram has made her less self-conscious and helped others with similar conditions feel less ashamed.
13 surgeries followed her 2022 lipoedema treatment in Germany — five initial operations, then eight abdominal procedures after a stroke and sepsis — before UK doctors confirmed the lump that developed was an incisional hernia.
A binder worn 24 hours a day now helps manage pain, heaviness and balance problems, because surgeons in the NHS, private sector and abroad judged another major abdominal operation too risky.
Online sharing began as a search for advice from surgeons and patients, but has grown into a support network where people exchange tips on protecting hernias and coping with the physical and mental impact.
With surgery too risky, how should healthcare systems change to better support patients like Amy?
Can future medical technology offer a better solution than social media support and a binder?
When a patient becomes a leader, what are the hidden risks of building an online health community?