Bonnie Blair to Break the Ice About Stress Urinary Incontinence in...( US Speed Skater Hopes to Educate...),Health

US Speed Skater Hopes to Educate Women About this Common Condition

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- US speed skater Bonnie Blair will be at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee hotel (333 West Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee) on October 25, 2007 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm to talk about her experience with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Bonnie is speaking as part of What's Happening Down There?: Breaking the Ice About SUI, a national public education campaign. Area residents are invited to a free educational event to learn more about SUI from Bonnie's own surgeon Dr. Dennis Miller, a urogynecologist on staff at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, and to hear Bonnie's experiences with SUI. To reserve a seat, please call 1-866-421-0473 by October 18th. Dinner will be provided.

What is stress urinary incontinence (SUI)? It's the accidental leaking of urine during day-to-day activities, an exceptionally common condition among women.

Bonnie Blair was a new mother when she developed SUI. She eventually sought treatment and is now symptom free. "When I went on my first run after having my son, I didn't get more than half a block before my shorts were soaked," said Bonnie. "I was very upset. As an athlete, I was used to being active and not having anything slow me down. Now I had to worry about leaking."

Like millions of other women, Bonnie found she could not pursue daily activities such as lifting her child, picking up a laundry basket or playing golf without worrying she might have an accident. For a long time embarrassment kept Bonnie from opening up to her doctor, or even her husband, and her quality of life and confidence both suffered.

Bonnie tried to cope by wearing dark shorts, using feminine pads and limiting her intake of fluids, but these efforts did not improve her situation. Eventually, she talked to her doctor and learned she had SUI.

"Aging, menopause and even childbirth are all risk factors for SUI. SUI occurs when the vaginal w
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