News
Maureen is a bladder cancer survivor living with a stoma.
She is healthy, happy and enjoys spending time in the garden, going to music festivals, and watching her grandkids grow. This is her journey through bladder cancer, which all started with frequent urination at night (nocturia).
“The sooner the better,” Debbie Atkins, occupational therapist at Toilet Time, tells Bridge Magazine.
There are so many aspects of going to the toilet that can affect young children's lives, and acknowledging there may be a problem early is important. If you struggle to go from nappies to undies, notice a change in your child’s toilet habits, such as an increase or decrease in going to the toilet, a regression in skill development, or expressed fearfulness or refusal to go to the toilet, it might be time to seek help.
As a Continence Nurse Consultant in a Perth hospital, Kerry Murphy’s job is educating parents and teaching children what is not normal when it comes to bladder and bowel symptoms. “A lot of issues are preventable,” says Kerry. “But your children might not tell you about their toilet problems. They might even deny them.
If you are concerned about your child’s toilet habits and think they may be suffering from constipation, speak to your GP to ensure there are no underlying health conditions that could be causing it. Once medical conditions are ruled out, there are four main areas to focus on.
“If you’re thinking about starting the toilet training process, there are a few things to consider first,” says Janine Armocida from the National Continence Helpline. “Everyone has a different opinion about when and how you should toilet train your child.
Paul Guest works at Lendlease construction company. He is also a prostate cancer survivor and a BINS4Blokes supporter. Since being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Paul has advocated for BINS4Blokes and the installation of incontinence product disposal bins at his place of work, to enable males recovering from prostate cancer to transition back to work with greater dignity.
“The sooner the better,” Debbie Atkins, occupational therapist at Toilet Time, tells Bridge Magazine.
When Sara was pregnant with her second child, she was told her unborn baby, Kezia, had spina bifida. “I felt both upset and challenged by the fact that I was going to have a baby with spina bifida. But my husband and I made the joint decision that we would face this journey together.”
Our first edition of 2025 brings with it some changes. After a reader survey in late 2024, we listened to your feedback and included articles relevant to different audiences, as well as the themed content. We are also bringing back printed editions, so if you would like your copy of the Bridge magazine in print, please sign up on our website.
There are lots of aspects of school readiness, including getting dressed, putting shoes on, and eating independently. An oft-forgotten part of the routine is using the toilet. Even if your child has been toilet trained for many years, big changes can cause children to regress and experience incontinence (having accidents). This can be a one-off or spiral into an ongoing issue.
“The sooner the better,” Debbie Atkins, occupational therapist at Toilet Time, tells Bridge Magazine.
There are so many aspects of going to the toilet that can affect young children's lives, and acknowledging there may be a problem early is important. If you struggle to go from nappies to undies, notice a change in your child’s toilet habits, such as an increase or decrease in going to the toilet, a regression in skill development, or expressed fearfulness or refusal to go to the toilet, it might be time to seek help.
A New Era of Awareness and Support
MEDIA RELEASE
10 February 2025
Welcome to the Spring edition of Bridge Magazine, which is focused on women’s health. Evidence has shown being a woman is one of the biggest risk factors for experiencing incontinence, so women’s health is a central part of what we do here at the Continence Foundation of Australia.
When Stefania Little was born in the 1990s in Western Australia, Hirschsprung’s Disease was mainly thought to affect males and people with Down Syndrome. She was the first female patient her doctor had treated with the disease.
We talk to Sarah White, CEO of Jean Hailes Women’s Health, on all things menopause. Discussing menopause symptoms openly with your family, friends, and health care providers helps to remove stigma and normalise the menopausal transition. We want all women to feel encouraged to seek support from a health professional if they are struggling with menopause symptoms.
In this women’s health edition, we want to create a safe space for women to understand their own body and seek help should they need it. We talk to Libby Oldfield, a Specialist Women’s, Men’s and Pelvic Health Physiotherapist for some top tips on how to keep your pelvic floor healthy and risk factors to watch out for which are relevant to women of all ages and stages of life.
Taking the first steps
The Deloitte ‘Economic Cost of Incontinence in Australia’ report estimates that 4.8 million women experienced some level of urinary and/or faecal incontinence in 2023, with women 2x more likely than men to have incontinence.
Twelve years ago, Bronwyn Ford underwent major surgery, including inserting pelvic mesh and a hysterectomy, to help relieve symptoms of severe pelvic organ prolapse. She has since experienced several other health issues including surgery and treatment for non-invasive breast cancer, osteoporosis, pre-diabetes, and acute onset rheumatoid arthritis. “The thing that has affected my life the most is the prolapse and continence issues—they have an everyday impact, but it has made me much more resilient.
The Continence Foundation of Australia’s National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) is a free and confidential service staffed by Nurse Continence Specialists who can provide information, advice and support to anyone living in Australia who is impacted by incontinence.