Ellyn Mantell has been an Ostomate since 2014 and was named by the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) as the Mighty Advocate of the Year at last conference, in August of 2019. Ellyn is one of four members of the Patient Advisory Board for the UOAA, an author: So Much More Than My Ostomy: Loving My Perfectly Imperfect Body! published in 2019, and a mentor to countless Ostomates, or those investigating the process. Ellyn’s name is provided by UOAA, American Cancer Society, Medical Centers, and manufacturers. Additionally, Ellyn has served on planning boards for Global Ostomy Awareness Day through ConvaTec and others. She has started four and facilitated two Ostomy Support Groups in New Jersey each week. Ellyn also spearheaded a grass roots movement to create a designated outpatient Ostomy Center. Ellyn’s More than my Ostomy (morethanmyostomy.com) is a blogsite that she writes weekly, and it serves as a motivational site that is visited by countless Ostomates and non-Ostomates. She has also written for THE PHOENIX MAGAZINE on fashion and the Ostomate, has addressed regional conferences of WOCN’s and serves as a resource and consultant.