Cleveland PR Newswire

Press releases from Ohio companies

Are You One of 35 Million Women?

          How one woman's journey helped 10,000 women nationwide.

    AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- One in three women currently suffer
from a pelvic floor disorder. But, usually due to embarrassment and lack of
education on the issue, most have accepted incontinence as a way of life.
But it doesn't have to be. There is a solution!

    The first step is to get educated and start talking. A group called The
Accidental Sisterhood is helping women do just that through a book, DVD and
forums designed to help women understand and correct issues that cause
incontinence.

    To celebrate National Bladder Awareness Month, 3,000 copies of The
Accidental Sisterhood book will be available on a first-come, first served
basis during the month of November. Women may log on to
http://www.AccidentalSisterhood.com and enter the promo code SOLUTION, or they can
call 1-866-549-3250 to receive a free copy.

    The Accidental Sisterhood book and education project is the result of a
partnership that began when one woman finally had the courage to ask a
doctor about solutions to her incontinence.

    Living with Female Incontinence: Jeanette's Story

    Even at a young age, Jeanette knew she had a bladder problem. She was
the girl at slumber parties who laughed so hard she peed her pants. As a
high-school cheerleader, she wore a pad "just in case."

    After the birth of her first child - a very large big-headed baby boy -
she knew she was in trouble. Leaving the house meant having a protective
plan in place. Going to the gym was virtually out of the question, and fun
nights out with friends or her husband would end early because laughing
meant leaking.

    "Women discuss their kids, their sex lives, what they serve for dinner,
mammogram results... but the thought of using incontinence in a sentence
was out of the question for me," says Jeanette.

    She went to the Internet to find a solution but wasn't encouraged by
what she saw. The content seemed biased and didn't relate well, since she
wasn't a 65-plus retiree golfing with her friends in Florida, and couldn't
bring herself to order a book titled 150 Ways To Cure Incontinence.

    A friend, not knowing what she was going through, happened to mention
Dr. Ray Bologna, a urologist in Akron, Ohio, specializing in pelvic-floor
health for women. Jeanette scheduled an appointment.

    Jeanette chose a combination of physical therapy (yes, there are
pelvic-floor workouts!) and surgery to correct her problem.

    "My problem was corrected 100% using a sling to lift the urethra," says
Jeanette. "The surgery was a breeze. It literally changed my life."

    Changing Lives through Education

    But Dr. Bologna's work with Jeanette did not end with the successful
surgery. Jeanette's passion to share the good news with other women
suffering from incontinence, combined with Dr. Bologna's cutting-edge
expertise, led to a joint venture that has educated over 10,000 women
within the past three years.

    In 2006, The Accidental Sisterhood® was created.

    "I had recognized the need for pelvic health education since my
residency," said Dr. Bologna. "I see hundreds of patients each year, just
like Jeanette, who have suffered in silence and have accepted incontinence
as a natural part of being a women."

    The Accidental Sisterhood is a therapy and education program for women
of all ages, and offers a guide to understanding and treating bladder
health and other issues related to the pelvic floor.

    Together with the Accidental Sisterhood Team, Jeanette and Dr. Bologna
have been traveling the country educating women on all things
pelvic-floor-health related: from prevention and treatment options for
stress incontinence, to overactive bladder, prolapse and more.

    Over the past three years, The Accidental Sisterhood and Medtronic, an
industry partner who has a pacemaker for the bladder called InterStim®
Therapy, have focused their efforts on patient education. To promote
National Bladder Awareness Month (November) The Accidental Sisterhood will
be distributing 3,000 free copies of The Accidental Sisterhood book.
Sponsored by Medtronic.

    "Who knew a subject matter I wouldn't even discuss with my best friend
would lead to this," says Jeanette.

    About The Accidental Sisterhood® Foundation

    The Accidental Sisterhood Foundation promotes health education for
women, with a special emphasis on improving female pelvic floor health. The
Foundation supports research and information programs to ensure that women
recognize and understand the highly treatable and preventable nature of
pelvic floor issues and get the help they need. For more information, visit
http://www.AccidentalSisterhood.com.