1.6 – Impact of bladder and bowel dysfunction on a person with spinal cord injury
At the Association for Continence Professionals we were privileged to have as one of our previous Patrons Melanie Reid, an award winning writer and columnist at The Times[1], who wrote a column every week until November 2024 about her experiences as a paralysed person called The Spinal Column.
In 2010, Melanie was riding a horse, when she fell off and broke her neck at C6/7. It was an incomplete break but she was left doubly incontinent and she spent a year in the Spinal Unit in Scotland learning how to manage having a paralysed bowel and a paralysed bladder.
Please note that as of 6th June 2023, the Association for Continence Advice (ACA) has now changed its name to the Association for Continence Professionals (ACP). Some of the videos included in this module will still have the ACA branding, and we can confirm that these videos are still current.
Your task
Watch this interview with Melanie and reflect on the importance of good bladder and bowel function to a person with a spinal cord injury.
-
- Were you aware of the vital role bladder and bowels play in the the overall health of a person with a spinal cord injury?
-
- Do you think there is enough recognition of bladder and bowel needs in the general population?
Share your thoughts with fellow learners.
Reference
1. Melanie Reid: profile page. The Times website. [Cited 24 August 2018]. Available from: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/profile/melanie-reid