This topic is about a young man from the UK who has been living with a colostomy since he was 5 years old. Now 26, he is looking to connect with others who understand what it's like to live with an ostomy. He hopes to find friends, especially those around his age, who are open to chatting and sharing experiences.

Here are some helpful tips and insights for him:

1. Try using the site's live chat room to meet people in real time. Most members are friendly and eager to make new friends.

2. To access the chat:
- If you're on a PC, click "General Chat" in the lower-right corner of the screen.
- If you're using a mobile device, tap the small chat box in the lower-right corner to open the chat window.

3. Don't feel discouraged if you don't get an immediate response. Sometimes members are logged in but might not notice new messages right away.

4. Both paying and non-paying members can participate in the forum.
- Only paying members can start private messages and emails, but non-paying members can reply to any messages they receive.
- Each month, the 10 members who post the most in the forum receive a free full membership for the next 30 days, giving them access to all the site's features.