Welcome to the Autumn edition of Bridge magazine, our flagship publication about all things bladder and bowel health. In this edition, we are celebrating approximately three million at-home carers across Australia. Many of these carers are responsible for the complex role of providing bladder and bowel care. They are the silent backbone of our society, offering unwavering support to loved ones with immense dedication. Continence Health Australia's Carer of the Year Award highlights their extraordinary contributions and serves as a reminder of the compassion and resilience that define these everyday heroes.
We would like to congratulate everyone who was nominated for the award, and especially our 2025 winner, Keren, who you can read about on page 4.
Also in this edition, we talk to psychologist, Tanya Osicka, about the importance of carers looking after their own wellbeing and ‘putting on their own oxygen mask before helping others’. We hear from Mandy about what it is like to help care for a loved one in hospital and from Maria who lives with urinary incontinence and pelvic pain.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our National Conference on Incontinence in Hobart, Tasmania from 7-10 May 2025.
Jim Cooper | Interim CEO Continence Health Australia
We value the stories of people living with or caring for someone with incontinence. Reading others' lived experience can make a huge difference to someone in a similar situation. If you would like to share your story with us, please email Managing Editor, Sarah Tayler [email protected]