Our history

What began as a small task force in the 1980s has grown into Australia’s national peak body for bladder and bowel control health. Continence Health Australia (formerly the Continence Foundation of Australia) has been at the forefront of advocacy, education and support for over 3 decades – championing the rights, dignity and wellbeing of millions of people in Australia.

Today, Continence Health Australia continues to lead the national conversation on bladder and bowel control health, supporting more than 7.2 million people in Australia across all life stages.

Our mission remains clear: to promote continence health for people of all ages in Australia.

Here are our milestones.

2024-2025: A new chapter

2025

• Jim Cooper appointed CEO
• name changed to Continence Health Australia
• new 5 year strategic plan launched

2024

• Dr Gian Sberna appointed CEO

2015-2019: Innovation and impact

2019

• Celebrated 30 years of impact

2018

• ‘Continence Support Now’ and ‘Incontinence in Confidence’ websites launched for aged care workers and adolescents respectively

2015

• Rowan Cockerell appointed as CEO
• ‘Pelvic Floor First’ launched

2008-2013: Expanding reach

2013

• Nearly 100,000 copies of Bridge magazine distributed

2011

• Deloitte report reveals 4.2 million people in Australia living with incontinence

2010

• Australian Government replaces the NMCS with the National Continence Program 2011-2014
• ‘Continence awareness week’ focusses on carers
• National Continence Helpline receives 26,000 calls

2008

• ‘Everybody’s business’ education forums launched
• 590 health professionals attend the ‘National Conference on Incontinence’

2002-2006: National recognition

2006

• NCMS supports over 120 projects; $18.2 million in renewed funding

2004

• Consumer Advisory Committee established

2003

• First website launched
• ‘Carer of the year award’ launched

2002

• Achieved national peak body status
• Barry Cahill appointed as CEO

1995-2000: Building momentum

1999

• National Continence Helpline launched

1998

• $15.4 million National Continence Management Strategy (NCMS) launched by the Australian Government

1995

• Launch of the Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal (ANCJ)

1986-1989: Foundations laid

1989

• Continence Foundation of Australia officially launched
• inaugural Board elected with David Fonda as president

1988

• First National Conference on Incontinence held in Melbourne

1986

• National Task Force on Incontinence (NTFI) established to promote incontinence as a major health issue in the Australian community