‘I don’t want to talk about poo but I have to’: Ryan Mann advocates for himself and others with stomas

After a tragic accident left him wheelchair-bound, a father-of-one is now fighting for 50,000 Australians who have been ‘ghosted’ by the federal government. Find out why.

Father-of-one Ryan Mann said he would rather not speak about how he goes to the toilet but feels it is important to stand up for the people in Australia who have a stoma, after calls for more funding went unanswered.

“50,000 people with literally bag of sh*ts up their stomachs, ask for help and they (federal government) ghost us,” the 38-year-old told The Advertiser.

Mr Mann was left with a stoma following a spinal cord injury he sustained after he dived in a body of water, unknowingly having a bone spur on his spine.

“I didn’t hit anything, I just hit the water,” the South Plympton man said.

“Had I not had the bone spur, it wouldn’t have happened.”

The trade school teacher said the injury not only left him wheelchair bound but significantly impacted his ability to manage his bowel and bladder and on medical advice he received a colostomy bag.

“It adds a fifth dimension to the whole problem, the spine injury is enough and now I’ve got to have this thing on me,” he said.

Ryan Mann and his daughter Charlotte, 8, at their South Plympton home. Picture Mark Brake

Although Mr Mann is supported under a government funding scheme, he faces barriers in accessing the full range of stoma products available in countries like Canada and the UK, leaving Mr Mann in “embarrassing” situations.

“My class was interrupted because my faeces had leaked underneath my base plate and ultimately peeled away from my skin and I had to stop teaching and go home, shower and get changed,” the South Plympton man said.

“By the time all that embarrassing stuff happened it was the end of the day.”

Mr Mann said there is a product not funded in Australia that detects when a leak occurs and sends a message to the user’s phone, allowing them to go to the bathroom.

“The scheme is outdated … they’re not up to date with all the latest technology,” he said.

“I am in this first world country … I’m getting second world treatment.”

Over 1000 people wrote to the Health Minister Mark Butler but received no response. Picture Mark Brake

Mr Mann was left with a stoma following a spinal cord injury he sustained after he dived in a body of water. Picture Mark Brake

After experiencing difficulties with the products available in Australia, Mr Mann, along with over 1000 people, wrote to Health Minister Mark Butler on November 20, 2024, but received no response.

Matt Dalton from the Stoma Industry Association said “the Prime Minister can flash his Medicare card all he wants but it means nothing to the 50,000 Australians living with a stoma who’ve been completely ignored”.

“Healthcare isn’t a photo op — it’s about showing up for the people who need you most,” he said.

“That’s not just poor form — it’s a disgrace. What kind of Health Minister ghosts an entire patient community?

“Labor says healthcare is its top priority, but this is a $47m blind spot that’s been ignored for over a decade.

“If you can’t fund something as basic as access to essentially medical appliances, you don’t really care about healthcare — you’re just campaigning on it.

“Six reviews in 20 years. Zero action. Meanwhile, patients are left using outdated technology that impacts their dignity, their wellbeing and their quality of life. This isn’t bureaucracy — it’s cruelty.”

The Health Minister said over 50,000 ostomates have received fully subsidised products in the past year from a $113m investment.

“We want ostomates to have better health outcomes,” he said.

“That’s why we commissioned an independent comprehensive review of the SAS Schedule. “The review is currently underway.”

Originally published as ‘I don’t want to talk about poo but I have to’: Ryan Mann advocates for himself and others with stomas