Why HIRO: The Story Behind Our Ostomy Belt
Why HIRO
You've probably noticed: it's spelled HIRO, not "Hero." That's intentional, and it means something. It's the name I chose for the HIRO ostomy belt line from O'Hamill Inc.
Where It Comes From
HIRO traces back to Japanese kanji, each with its own reading and its own meaning:
| Kanji | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 浩 | Prosperous, abundant, grand |
| 広 | Wide, broad, spacious |
| 弘 | Vast, to expand |
| 寛 | Generous, tolerant |
| 裕 | Rich, abundant, affluent |
Beyond those, hiro carries a wider constellation of meaning across Japanese naming tradition: sky, space, ocean, sun, radiance, to help, to protect. Put together, it's a word about room to grow, about generosity, about the kind of confidence that comes from having space to move.
Why It Fit
It was the feeling behind the word that stuck with me: abundant, wide open, unguarded. That's exactly what I wanted this brand to give people back after surgery. Not a smaller life, a wider one. That idea is at the heart of our mission.
And I won't pretend I didn't notice the echo. HIRO sounds like "hero." After what it takes to get through ostomy surgery and rebuild a life around it, I think that's fair. Everyone wearing one of these belts has already done the hard part. This is just the part where you get to move freely again, whether that's on the tennis court, on a long trip, or at the water park.
What HIRO Makes
HIRO makes an ostomy support belt that works as an ostomy bag holder under the clothes you already own, so you rarely need an ostomy bag cover, ostomy underwear, or special ostomy clothing. Choose the HIRO Performance Horizontal for an active life or the HIRO Performance Vertical for easy draining, and compare them in our horizontal vs vertical guide. Every belt works as a colostomy bag belt or an ileostomy support belt. Read reviews from real customers or browse the ostomy belt FAQ.
If you're new to life with a stoma, you're not alone. The United Ostomy Associations of America offers a New Ostomy Patient Guide, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and American Cancer Society both have excellent ostomy resources.
A Note From Richard
HIRO isn't a rebrand of a word I liked the sound of. It's the name I wanted attached to a product built from my own life: abundant, wide open, and built to help you expand back into yours. Read more of my story.