June 2023
Women’s Health Continence supplement
Published by Urology News UK addressing the stigmas surrounding bladder and bowel incontinence.
Contributing to this patient supplement and writing the segment on faecal incontinence was a fantastic opportunity to empower and encourage women to seek assistance with issues surrounding continence and pelvic health.
Promoted inside Woman’s Weekly magazine 7th June 2023 as a pull-out, this supplement is available in a digital format too.
Click to read: https://bit.ly/3Niwh4q
Thank you to Urology News UK for inviting me to be part of this.
Welsh Three Peaks Challenge ‘Mountains for MASIC’ Fundraiser
Taking on the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge: Snowdon in the North, Cadair Idris in mid-Wales, and Pen y Fan in the South. Total walking distance of 17 miles (27.4km) and an ascent of 2334 metres (7657ft).
Starting at 4am on Friday 9th June, at a temperature of 8C we took the Pyg track to reach the summit of Snowdon at 5.50am to see a beautiful sunrise before descending to reach the car park opposite the Snowdon railway station at 7:30am. I discovered the toilets including the disabled were locked and despite having a radar key, I had no option but to change my stoma bag in the car park.
After a quick second breakfast we drove to Cadair Idris and arrived at 9.50am. The toilets in the car park had no running water and were later closed.
We started walking at 10.21am and reached the Trig point at 12.32pm. The views were breathtaking, the ascent and descent I found more physically and technically challenging than Snowdon. By now temperatures had risen to 26C, back down in the glen section it was hot. Cooling my feet off in the stream was a welcome relief before continuing the hike down.
Lunch in the car park of Cadair Idris followed by a 2 1/2 hr drive to Brecon to commence up the track by the Storrie Arms at 6.20pm to reach the top of Pen Y fan at 7.30pm and a hazy sunset.
After a slow descent we reached the car park of Pont ar Daf and completed the challenge at 8:20pm.
My MASIC Foundation fundraiser aids women affected by severe childbirth injury. Share my link or donate on my JustGiving page to make a direct impact. Thank you for supporting these women in need.
This was an amazing and physically challenging experience, as I had anticipated. However, the shocking scarcity of functioning public toilets, with two out of three peak toilets closed, was unexpected.
Our drive to Brecon became a quest for unlocked facilities. The impact on the countryside, coupled with a lack of bins at Cadair Idris, is concerning considering this National Park’s popularity.