Categories: Press Releases
      Date: Feb 23, 2009
     Title: NAFC Enhances Web Site and Consumer Publications

February 23, 2009 (Charleston, South Carolina) – The National Association For Continence (NAFC) announced that its Web site at www.nafc.org now has additional features to help consumers seeking information on bladder and bowel control. As the leading consumer education organization for this health concern, NAFC experiences nearly 20,000 new visitors to its Web site each month.

NAFC’s Web site now includes a feature that allows visitors to find public restrooms in a particular city or location, anywhere in the world, by typing in the city name or zip code. NAFC has partnered with SitOrSquat, the developer of the online mapping tool, to provide this service. The tool identifies public restrooms with colored flags on a street map. Consumer ratings on the cleanliness of the restroom are also provided; restrooms earn a “Sit” or “Squat” designation. “Everyone has, at one time or another, needed to find a public restroom. For people suffering from bladder or bowel control symptoms, this can be a very serious issue,” stated Rachel Levkowicz, NAFC’s Manager of Health Education. “We wanted to provide this additional resource to our consumers so they could research bathroom locations before leaving home or from a mobile device when on the road.” The feature can be found at http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/find-a-bathroom/.

In addition to the restroom locator, NAFC’s Web site has also relaunched its Bladder and Bowel Health Forum. Located at http://www.nafc.org/forum/, the Forum is a way for bladder and bowel control sufferers to privately come together to share experiences, ask questions and provide support to others who understand the challenges they are facing. All participants on the Forum must pre-register with NAFC, and all postings are monitored by NAFC staff for appropriateness. Also posted to the site are “blogs” or short, informative articles authored by NAFC’s Executive Director Nancy Muller on various related issues.

NAFC has also updated two of its consumer publications. Continence Care For People Living With Multiple Sclerosis is a comprehensive 76-page booklet with clear explanations of underlying causes, diagnostic procedures and treatment measures. In its third edition and sponsored by Coloplast, the publication represents a collaborative effort with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Its lead authors are Michael Chancellor, MD, and Margie O’Leary, MSN, RN. An overview of the booklet in PowerPoint form can be downloaded or the entire booklet can be purchased at NAFC’s Web site at http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/neurological-disorders-2/index.php?page=multiple-sclerosis. Also available is an updated version of NAFC’s popular pamphlet “Male Stress Urinary Incontinence: Non-Surgical and Surgical Treatment.” The pamphlet describes the causes of stress urinary incontinence and the various treatment options available, including the newest AdVance™ surgical procedure. The pamphlet is sponsored by American Medical System. This is valuable information for men who may be facing a prostatectomy or have recently undergone the procedure.

All of NAFC’s consumer and professional publications can be ordered at www.nafc.org/online-store or by calling 1-800-BLADDER.

About the National Association For Continence (NAFC)
The National Association For Continence is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is threefold: 1) to educate the public about the causes, diagnosis categories, treatment options, and management alternatives for bladder and bowel control problems, nocturnal enuresis, voiding dysfunction, and related pelvic floor disorders; 2) to network with other organizations and agencies to elevate visibility and priority given to these health concerns; and 3) to advocate on behalf of consumers who suffer from symptoms as a result of disease or other illness, obstetrical, surgical or other trauma, or deterioration due to the aging process itself. NAFC is broadly funded by consumers, healthcare professionals, and industry. It is the world’s largest and most prolific consumer advocacy organization devoted exclusively to this field. For more information, visit www.nafc.org.

 # # # # # # # # # #