FRIENDS OF OSTOMATES WORLDWIDE (CANADA)

What FRIENDS OF OSTOMATES WORLDWIDE (CANADA) does

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada) (FOWC) is a registered Canadian charity (Charity Number 118932722RR0001) founded in 1986 and headquartered in St. Catharines, Ontario. The organization collects donated ostomy supplies — including pouches, skin barriers, flanges, rings, pastes, barrier extenders, protectant wipes, belts, clamps, and powders — from individuals and medical suppliers across Canada, and redistributes them to ostomy associations in developing and war-torn countries. It operates a national intake network spanning eight drop-off locations across Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, BC, and Manitoba, with a central warehouse in St. Catharines. Distribution is routed exclusively through three core strategic partners: the Kenya Ostomy Association (~280 members), the Iran Ostomy Association (over 9,000 ostomates, including Afghan refugees), and the Astom-Ilko Ostomy Association in Ukraine (several hundred members).

The organization is entirely volunteer-run and governed by a nine-member Board of Directors led by Joel Goldenberg (President), John Molnar (Vice President), Neil Victor (Treasurer), and Jaimie Walker (Secretary). It does not develop technology — its core capability is logistics: sourcing, packing, customs clearance, and international shipping of medical supplies. FOWC's business model is a donations-funded nonprofit with two revenue streams: (1) financial donations accepted via e-transfer, credit card (through CanadaHelps), cheque, and securities, with tax receipts issued for contributions over $10, and (2) in-kind supply donations of ostomy products from individuals and partner medical suppliers. Funds raised cover storage, shipping, and customs costs. There is no pricing model, no product sales, and no equity ownership; operations are sustained purely on contributed inputs.

On a five-year cumulative basis through December 31, 2024, FOWC has delivered 21,315 kgs of supplies valued at $2.8M (in-kind retail value, not cash) to five countries, and over its 38-year history has partnered with ostomy associations in more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central/South America. Marketing and donor acquisition are conducted through the organization's Wix-hosted website, Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and email newsletter subscriptions under the "Join the Movement" program.

Name

FRIENDS OF OSTOMATES WORLDWIDE (CANADA)

Legal name

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada)

Website

https://fowc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada) is a volunteer-run Canadian charity that collects donated ostomy supplies and redistributes them through partner associations in Ukraine, Iran, and Kenya to ostomates in developing and war-torn countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Medical Supplies Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAHALAG

Ostomy Care Products (Pouches, Barriers/Wafers, Accessories, Skin Protection)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Wound Care, Ostomy & Continence Products

Keywords

• Ostomy supplies distribution
• Humanitarian medical aid
• Ostomy donation program
• Nonprofit healthcare support
• International medical supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Granton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: FOWC accepts financial donations via e-transfer, credit card (through CanadaHelps), cheque, and securities. These donations fund storage, shipping, and customs costs required to deliver ostomy supplies worldwide. Any donation over $10 receives a tax receipt.
2. In-Kind Supply Donations: FOWC accepts donations of ostomy supplies (pouches, skin barriers, flanges, rings, pastes, barrier extenders, protectant wipes, belts, clamps, powders) from individuals and organizations. Tax receipts may be provided for supply donations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada) collects donated ostomy supplies (pouches, skin barriers, flanges, rings, pastes, barrier extenders, protectant wipes, belts, clamps, and powders) from Canadian donors and accepts financial contributions to cover storage, shipping, and customs costs. It then redistributes these supplies internationally to partner ostomy associations in developing and war-torn countries (Kenya, Iran, Ukraine), which in turn distribute supplies directly to individual ostomates in need, along with psychosocial counseling, training, and peer support.

Product overview

Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (Canada) operates as a single, unified charitable program focused on delivering essential ostomy supplies to ostomates in developing and war-torn countries. The organization runs two interconnected offerings: an Ostomy Supplies Donation Program that collects and ships donated medical supplies (pouches, skin barriers, flanges, rings, pastes, and related accessories) from Canada, and a Global Partnership Program that distributes these supplies through strategic partnerships with local ostomy associations in Kenya, Iran, and Ukraine. Together, these programs have delivered over 21,315 kgs of supplies valued at $2.8M to 5 countries as of December 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ostomy Supplies Donation Program Humanitarian program that collects donated ostomy supplies — including pouches, skin barriers, flanges, rings, pastes, barrier extenders, protectant wipes, belts, clamps, and powders — from Canadian donors at provincial drop-off locations, then ships them internationally for distribution through partner ostomy associations in developing and war-torn countries.
• Global Partnership Program Strategic partnerships with established ostomy associations in Kenya (Kenya Ostomy Association, ~280 members), Iran (Iran Ostomy Association, 9,000+ ostomates), and Ukraine (Astom-Ilko Ostomy Association, several hundred members) to deliver ostomy supplies and support to local ostomates. Partners provide additional services including psychosocial counseling, training, wound-healing assistance, and peer support.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kenya Ostomy Association (KOA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kenya Ostomy Association (KOA) currently serves about 280 members and provides critical support to at least ten ostomates daily. FOWC provides essential ostomy supplies to KOA, which distributes them to ostomates throughout Kenya and East Africa. KOA also offers psychosocial counseling, training, regular consultations, and peer support.
• Iran Ostomy Association (IOA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Iran Ostomy Association (IOA) is a team of about 19, including three well-trained ostomy nurses, serving over 9,000 ostomates across Iran including Afghan refugees. FOWC provides crucial ostomy supplies that enable IOA to continue providing free supplies, training, and wound healing assistance nationwide.
• Astom-Ilko Ostomy Association (Ukraine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstom-Ilko is a team of 5 with over 20 years of experience supporting stoma patients in Ukraine. They provide humanitarian aid, consultations, training on stoma care and supplies, and moral and psychological support to several hundred members. Since Russia's invasion, access to supplies has become even more challenging.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Medical Corps: Humanitarian organization providing medical relief in conflict-affected and developing countries. Comparable to FOWC in operating in conflict/war zones (Ukraine) and partnering with local entities for healthcare delivery.
• United Ostomy Associations of America: U.S. national umbrella for ostomy support groups providing education, advocacy, and resources. Comparable in mission to support ostomates, and a likely parallel model for a possible U.S.-based 'Friends of Ostomates' peer.
• Americares: Global health-focused humanitarian aid organization distributing donated medicines and medical supplies to partners in developing countries and disaster zones. Directly comparable to FOWC in distribution-of-donated-medical-supplies model and partnership-based last-mile delivery.
• MAP International: Global humanitarian organization that collects and distributes donated medicines and medical supplies to vulnerable populations worldwide. Closely comparable to FOWC in supply-chain-for-donated-medical-products mission and partnership-driven model.
• Direct Relief: U.S.-based humanitarian medical aid organization that collects and distributes donated medical supplies globally to underserved populations. Highly comparable to FOWC in mission (medical supply redistribution), volunteer/donor model, and cross-border logistics to fragile regions.
• Ostomy Canada Society: Canadian national association supporting ostomates through chapters and peer support. Comparable to FOWC in Canadian ostomy ecosystem and overlapping leadership (FOWC directors include former presidents of Ostomy Canada).
• International Ostomy Association: Global umbrella organization of ostomy associations that coordinates support, advocacy, and information sharing for ostomates worldwide. Directly comparable as a coordinating entity for the same ostomate population FOWC serves.

Emerging players

• International Rescue Committee: Global humanitarian organization responding to the world's worst humanitarian crises, including active programs in Ukraine and Iran-adjacent refugee contexts. Comparable in serving populations affected by the same conflicts FOWC's partners operate in.
• Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society: Professional nursing society focused on wound, ostomy, and continence care. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player in the same ostomy care space, supporting the clinical workforce that FOWC's partner associations rely on.
• Health Equity International (St. Boniface Haiti Foundation): Nonprofit focused on health care access in low-resource settings including supply distribution. Comparable as a smaller-scale medical supply redistribution model targeting underserved populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FOWCanada
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXx5XPIVimYrq6_BtcRT-Zw
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/FOWCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-ostomates-worldwide-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FRIENDS OF OSTOMATES WORLDWIDE (CANADA)