Ia
IA is a UK registered charity founded in 1956 that provides peer support, mental health services, rehabilitation programmes, and information resources for people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, their families, and healthcare professionals across the UK and Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersRochford, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ia does
IA (Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association) is a UK registered charity (company number 10375943, charity numbers 1172338 in England and Wales and SC048658 in Scotland) founded in 1956 by Professor Bryan Brooke to provide information, peer support, and resources for people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch. Headquartered in Rochford, Essex, IA operates a network of local support groups across the UK and Ireland and serves ostomates, their families/carers, and healthcare professionals involved in stoma care.
The charity's service portfolio includes the One2One Support volunteer programme (trained peer volunteers with at least 18 months of lived experience), the Support Through Therapy mental health programme (funded sessions with qualified psychotherapists), the Specialist Core Rehabilitation Programme (funded online clinical Pilates classes via partner Sarah Russell / The Ostomy Studio), a quarterly IA Journal, an online community forum, downloadable literature, the Let's Talk service, and annual regional Information Days. IA does not sell medical products; stoma bags are accessed via NHS prescription in the UK. The organization's technology footprint consists of a WordPress-based website, forum, social media channels, YouTube-recorded presentations, and standard communications tooling — there are no proprietary software products, AI features, or commercial APIs.
IA generates revenue exclusively through voluntary donations, fundraising campaigns (including the #70for70 challenge tied to its platinum anniversary in April 2026), Gift Aid, and modest research grants disbursed to academic partners. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and operated with a small employed staff supplemented by an extensive volunteer base. Strategic priorities are articulated through its 2022–2025 Strategic Plan, and the charity funds research collaborations with the University of East Anglia, University of Leeds, Ulster University, University of Greenwich, St. Mark's Hospital, and the International Hernia Research Network, alongside partnerships with ASCN, Coloplast, and NHS Trusts.
Ia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ia
- Legal name
- Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association
- Website
- https://iasupport.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- IA is a UK registered charity founded in 1956 that provides peer support, mental health services, rehabilitation programmes, and information resources for people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, their families, and healthcare professionals across the UK and Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Patient Support Charity
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)
Keywords
Where Ia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rochford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: IA generates revenue through voluntary donations, fundraising activities, and campaigns such as the #70for70 challenge. Members and supporters can donate through the website and various fundraising initiatives.
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Ia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IA is a UK registered charity that delivers free peer support, information, and resources to people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, and their families. Core offerings include the One2One Support volunteer matching service, funded psychotherapy sessions through the Support Through Therapy programme, a quarterly journal, an online community forum, the Let's Talk mental health service, free online core rehabilitation classes, downloadable literature, a network of local volunteer-led groups across the UK and Ireland, and annual Information Days featuring healthcare professional presentations.
Product overview
IA (Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association) is a registered charity founded in 1956 that provides a suite of support services for people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch. The organization operates as a unified support platform rather than a commercial product company. Core services include the One2One Support Volunteer Programme connecting members with trained peers, the Support Through Therapy mental health programme offering funded psychotherapy sessions, the quarterly IA Journal with medical articles and stories, an online community forum, the Let's Talk mental health service, the Specialist Core Rehabilitation Programme with online Pilates classes, downloadable literature and resources, a network of local groups across the UK and Ireland, and annual Information Days featuring expert presentations and workshops.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IA Support: Primary support services and information resource for people with ileostomy or internal pouch
- IA Pouch
- IA One2One Support
- Support Through Therapy
- Specialist Core Rehabilitation Programme
- Neil Smart Memorial Research Award
Products and services
- One2One Support Volunteer Programme Peer support service that matches individuals facing ileostomy or internal pouch surgery with trained volunteers who have themselves lived with a stoma or pouch for at least 18 months, providing emotional support and practical guidance based on personal experience.
- Support Through Therapy Funded therapy programme providing access to qualified psychotherapists for members experiencing anxiety, depression, or emotional distress related to their stoma or pouch surgery, with up to 3 sessions funded pre-surgery and up to 6 sessions funded post-surgery.
- IA Quarterly Journal Quarterly publication containing member stories, medical articles, product information, and resources to keep members informed about living with an ileostomy or internal pouch.
- Online Forum Online community platform enabling members to connect with each other, share experiences, and provide mutual support around living with an ileostomy or internal pouch.
- Let's Talk Service Mental health support service for people struggling with their stoma or internal pouch, or facing upcoming surgery, connecting them with trained volunteers who can offer support based on lived experience.
- Specialist Core Rehabilitation Programme Free online physiotherapy-led clinical Pilates core rehabilitation classes for IA members with an ileostomy, internal pouch, or parastomal hernia, delivered with clinical exercise specialist Sarah Russell; IA funds up to 8 members per month to participate.
- Local Groups Network Network of volunteer-led local IA groups across the UK and Ireland providing in-person meetings and community connection for members affected by ileostomy or internal pouch surgery.
- Literature and Resources Free downloadable and orderable educational leaflets and resources covering ileostomy, internal pouch, diet, exercise, travel, hydration, and body image, available to members and healthcare professionals.
- Information Days and Events Annual in-person information days featuring presentations from healthcare professionals, workshops, and opportunities for members to learn about stoma and pouch care and connect with peers; includes the Scottish Information Day and Pouch Information Day.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free core rehabilitation classes funded for up to 8 members monthly through partnership with clinical exercise specialist Sarah Russell
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ia
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sarah Russell (Clinical Exercise Specialist / The Ostomy Studio)corePartnership with clinical exercise specialist Sarah Russell to provide free online core rehabilitation classes for IA members with ileostomy or internal pouch. IA funds up to 8 members monthly to participate in classes focusing on building core strength, suitable for those with parastomal hernia. Classes based on physiotherapy-led clinical Pilates principles.
- Carrie Helman (Psychotherapist)corePartnership with Carrie Helman, a General & Ostomy Psychotherapist who is herself an ostomate, to deliver the Support Through Therapy programme. Provides funded therapy sessions for members pre- and post-surgery struggling with mental health related to their stoma or pouch.
- Aileen Macarthur (Psychotherapist)corePartnership with Aileen Macarthur, a humanistic counsellor whose late mother was an ostomate, to deliver the Support Through Therapy programme. Provides funded therapy sessions with deep empathy and understanding of ostomate experiences.
- University of East AngliaminorIA sponsors study opportunities for nurses wanting to develop their stoma care career through the Advanced Stoma Care module at University of East Anglia, subject to qualification.
- Association of Stoma Care Nurses UK (ASCN)corePartnership with ASCN for initiatives such as the Stoma Care Self Help Guide. ASCN supported IA in sharing resources during lockdown to help patients assess stoma issues when access to stoma care nurses was limited.
- Coloplast UK and IrelandminorIA participates in the Advancing Stoma Care Services: Evidence-based Proposals for a Best Practice Pathway (ASCS) working group alongside Coloplast, specialist nurses, surgeons, and healthcare consultants. Goal is to ensure consistent high-quality care for all stoma patients in England.
- St. Mark's HospitalcoreCollaboration with St. Mark's Hospital on the Sex-PROM Phase 3 Recruitment Study, developing a patient reported outcome measure for sexual dysfunction following benign pelvic colorectal surgery.
- NHScoreIA works with NHS services including guidance on Covid-19 for stoma patients, and NHS services provide referrals to IA for peer support. Stoma bags are available on NHS prescription in England.
- University of LeedsminorResearch partnership with William Goodman at University of Leeds for the study 'Understanding day-to-day well-being and self-management practices in people with a stoma' using mobile app-based real-time data collection.
- Ulster UniversityminorResearch partnership with Prof James Davis at Ulster University for Stomasense project - developing a sensing system to detect early onset of stoma pouch leakage with vibration alerts.
- University of GreenwichminorResearch partnership with Professor Lesley Dibley and Dr Ryan Essex for PRESTO study - developing a new patient reported outcome measure (PROM) to assess psychosocial response to stoma in people with IBD.
- International Hernia Research NetworkminorIA funding (£55,975) for the PROPHER study - a prospective international cohort study on patient reported outcomes after parastomal hernia treatment, led by Professor Thomas Pinkney.
- NHS Trusts (various)minorIA funding (£14,554) for the PAPooSE Study on pregnancy outcomes in patients with ileostomies, conducted through NHS Trusts with Miss Sue Blackwell and Miss Nicola Fearnhead.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Colostomy UK: UK charity providing support, information, and advocacy for people with a colostomy — directly comparable to IA in mission, peer-support model, and UK geography.
- Bladder & Bowel UK: UK charity providing information and support for people with bladder and bowel conditions, including stoma care — directly comparable information and advisory service to IA.
- Maggie's Centres: UK charity providing in-person emotional and psychological support for people affected by cancer — comparable centre- and group-based emotional support delivery model.
- United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA): US national ostomy support organization offering peer support groups, education, and advocacy — the closest international counterpart to IA in mission and structure.
Others
- Stoma Care Nurses (ASCN UK): UK professional association for stoma care nurses and a direct partner of IA; an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor — useful as a channel and clinical-content reference point.
Broad incumbents
- Scope (disability charity): UK disability charity with a broader mission of equality for disabled people — comparable in scale, multi-channel delivery, and disability-focused nonprofit structure.
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Large UK cancer charity providing peer support, information, and clinical information services — comparable in peer-support model, healthcare professional integration, and multi-channel education delivery.
Emerging players
- Mind (UK mental health charity): UK mental health charity — comparable in delivering peer-led and information-based mental health support, relevant to IA's Support Through Therapy and Let's Talk programmes.
- Bowel Cancer UK: UK charity focused on bowel cancer — many bowel cancer patients receive ileostomies, creating significant overlap in patient community, clinical partnerships, and research funding.
- Crohn's & Colitis UK: UK charity supporting people with inflammatory bowel disease, many of whom undergo ileostomy or pouch surgery — overlapping patient population and research funding activity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ia social profiles
Digital presenceIa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ia
What does Ia do?
IA is a UK registered charity that delivers free peer support, information, and resources to people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, and their families. Core offerings include the One2One Support volunteer matching service, funded psychotherapy sessions through the Support Through Therapy programme, a quarterly journal, an online community forum, the Let's Talk mental health service, free online core rehabilitation classes, downloadable literature, a network of local volunteer-led groups across the UK and Ireland, and annual Information Days featuring healthcare professional presentations.
Is Ia a public or private company?
Ia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ia founded?
Ia was founded in 1956.
Where is Ia based?
Ia is headquartered in Rochford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ia make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are Ia's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Colostomy UK, Bladder & Bowel UK, Maggie's Centres and United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA). Stoma Care Nurses (ASCN UK) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Scope (disability charity) and Macmillan Cancer Support. Emerging players are Mind (UK mental health charity), Bowel Cancer UK and Crohn's & Colitis UK.
Does Ia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ia.
What industry is Ia in?
Ia's product category is Patient Support Charity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of BPAGACAD, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 8300.