Why HIRO: The Story Behind Our Ostomy Belt

Where It Comes From

HIRO traces back to Japanese kanji, each with its own reading and its own meaning:

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.

Photography by Camila Jardim Art

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. Curious what that looks like day to day? Read why a stoma support belt makes daily life easier. 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. Your ostomy nurse is one of your best resources too; this October you can honor your nurse during Nurse Appreciation Month.

A Family Touch

HIRO ostomy belts are designed and developed by me through O'Hamill Inc., and every design decision is mine. But I've always had one trusted advisor I turn to for a second eye: my mother, Rita Miramontes.

My mom is a painter, muralist and art historian with an MFA in Painting and a BFA in Textile Design. She assists me with artistic direction, color and fabric choices, and the look of our website. Her eye has helped make HIRO belts something people are proud to wear, not just something they need.

You can see her own artwork at Miramontes Gallery or connect with her on LinkedIn.