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Eat Well, Feel Strong: Nutrition for Continence
Health. Words by: Tris Alexandra Jarvis, BHSc Nutritional Medicine (ANTA Accredited Clinical Nutritionist®).
Jana Pittman is no stranger to success. A two-time world champion and four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, she’s also made history as the first Australian woman to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. But her journey isn’t defined by medals alone. This is her story. Since the age of 16, Jana has lived with incontinence.
our call will be answered by one of our nurse continence specialists who will listen to your story without judgement and offer confidential advice.
Suffering from long-term medical problems can be lonely and take a toll on the mental health of the person experiencing it or those taking care of them. We talk to clinical psychologist, Samantha Cole from OceansideClinicalPsychology.com in New South Wales, about how to check in on a friend or loved one.
Alan had prostate cancer 14 years ago and has since been working tirelessly to educate others
Colin Ashley Reed (Ashley) is a prostate cancer survivor, an eternal optimist, and an advocate for other men experiencing prostate and incontinence issues.
This is his story.
“I was getting some blood when I wiped after the toilet and at first I thought it was a gynaecological problem. I had it checked and they said everything was fine,” Julie tells Bridge Magazine. “This delayed my diagnosis because I assumed it was a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Mark’s wife Sharon has lived with incontinence for many years. Her journey was not easy, being repeatedly misdiagnosed with various conditions meant she didn’t get the surgery she needed for over a decade.
As well as being a physical problem, incontinence can take its toll mentally.
"In some cases, incontinence will cause people to stay home where they feel safe if they have an accident, exacerbating feelings of isolation and alienation," Amy tells Bridge.
Continence Health Australia, formerly known as the Continence Foundation of Australia, is the not-for-profit lead body for promoting bladder and bowel control health. Our aim is continence health for people of all ages in Australia. Listed below are some of the ways we can help you, whether you are experiencing incontinence, caring for someone who is, or a health professional.
Just like your house and your car, your body needs the occasional check over.
“Our research focuses on delivering healthcare to remote and regional places where people otherwise can’t access it," Professor Russell tells Bridge. "We help educate clinicians on what technology solutions they can add to their practice to increase the geographical distance they are able to support.”
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has had a lot of press over the last few years. In this edition, we are discussing technology and innovation, so it is only right we touch on few of the ways you might see artifical intelligence (AI) interacting with your medical treatments in the coming decade.
We spoke to Associate Professor Bernadette Richards from The University of Queensland Medical School about what new and innovative treatments in medicine really mean for patients.
“Patients often hear 'innovative' and think it means better. But that is not always the case," Assoc Prof Richards tells Bridge. "Depending on the risk involved in a new treatment, how invasive it is, and if it is reversible, the older tried-and-tested treatments are sometimes better for the individual.”
We talk to urologist, Professor Eric Chung, about innovation and technology in continence health. He specialises in the artificial urinary sphincter which can help both men and women experiencing trouble controlling their urine (wee). It involves a surgical procedure to implant the device and can be life changing for people with severe bladder symptoms.
Gerry* was diagnosed with high-grade bladder cancer in 2022. He received an incorrect course of Intravesical immunotherapy (BCG), which treated the cancer but left him with severe urinary tract bleeding and urinary urge incontinence. This is his story.
NAME: Gerry
FAMILY: Adult children and an unconditionally-loving dog.
OCCUPATION: Healthcare worker.
CONDITION: Bladder cancer.
Julianne ran athletics at state level, but after giving birth she couldn’t run, jump, cough, or even sneeze without experiencing leakage. She eventually went on to have surgery to repair the injuries she sustained during childbirth. This is her story.
NAME: Julianne
FAMILY: Husband in the military and two young children. I have an au pair who helps to look after my youngest while I am at work.
OCCUPATION: Former military, now senior program management role for a major consultancy firm.
Urinary or faecal incontinence does not have to rule your life. It can often be treated, better managed, or even cured. There are new and innovative treatments available, as well as the tried and tested methods. From lifestyle changes and physiotherapy, to medications, non-invasive treatments and surgery.
We talked to Dr Bernadette Brown, from Gold Coast Urogynaecology, who specialises in sacral nerve stimulation (SNS)—one of the treatments offered to patients to give them better control over their bladder and/or bowel.