Derick Fage

Breakfast Television Montreal Host Has Unique Take on Potty Humour

Breakfast Television Montreal co-host Derick Fage has joked that doctors made him an asshole. Thing is, though, they did. He was born without one — the condition is known as a high imperforate anus — and, despite surgery to create an anal opening, he has contended all his life with fecal incontinence. That means, among other things, that if he goes to a restaurant, he makes sure to know where the washroom is — because if he needs it, he needs it right away. If he is, say, hosting a charity event, he’ll pop a couple of Imodium pills beforehand. Accidents at work are rare, but they happen. “Just a few weeks ago, I had a major accident live on the air.” He handed over to his co-host and left the set to clean up and change into the spare set of clothes he keeps at work. Today Fage, 48, speaks publicly about his condition in a bid to help others living with its challenges. In April at the Global Forum on Incontinence in Rome, he gave an eloquent and emotional address, last year in Laval he gave a TEDx talk, and he is an ambassador and champion for the Canadian Continence Foundation. Read more.

Source: Montreal Gazette, July 19, 2018

Living with VACTERL Association

My Story – Submitted by: Gerald

I was born in 1957 with VACTERL Association. I have a Klippel-Feil in both my cervical spine and lumbar spine (L1-L4 congenitally fused), a syrinx in lower cervical spine, urinary tract fistulas, imperforate anus, and a horseshoe kidney. I have a history of distension, pseudo-obstruction (for which I have been hopitalized and NG’d several times), two obstructions due to adhesions, and these were surgically repaired. I also have a syrinx in my lower cervical spine which is stable. I was also born with an imperforate anus and required a pull-thru at birth. I had laminectomies in both my cervical and lumbar spines (L1-L4 is congenitally fused with hemi-vertibrae, scolioses, severe stenosis in the foramen and central canal). I have a horseshoe kidney but do not have any renal issues that I am aware of, though I am prone to UTI’s. I am largely incontinent and have severe motility problems and am sometimes unable to pass stool for a week at a time. Continue reading