Promoting Continence Timeline
1985
Managing Incontinence: A Guide to Living with Loss of Bladder Control (now in its 6th edition) is the first book ever written for the layperson on the topic of incontinence. Managing Incontinence was re-edited and published in Canada, England and Australia, and translated into Spanish and Japanese. Over 100,000 copies have been sold worldwide.
1986
A twenty city/ twenty week Book Promotion Tour by Cheryle B Gartley, co-author and editor of Managing Incontinence began to break down barriers all across America. Ms. Gartley is the first person with incontinence to publicly speak out about the needs of people with incontinence.
1987
Ann Landers, a daily advice columnist, cites the Simon Foundation as the source for information about incontinence and directs readers to us. Three days after the column runs, 30,000 pieces of mail arrive at Foundation headquarters (final number of inquires topped 50,000 letters).
1987
TIME MAGAZINE is the first weekly news magazine to break the taboo and publish an article about incontinence and the work of the Simon Foundation under the title of "The Last of the Closet Issues."
1988
The National Institutes of Health holds the first Consensus Development Conference on Adult Urinary Incontinence. Simon Foundation President is selected for the Consensus Panel and to co-author the resulting Consensus Statement.
1989
I WILL MANAGE...Physicians and nurses affiliated with the foundation begin the first patient education/support group for people with incontinence in over 200 hospitals throughout the United States. I Will Manage is adapted for use in England and Spain.
1990
AARP commissions the Simon Foundation to develop their first educational program on incontinence which is launched nationwide by AARP health educators.
1990
The Solution States with You, the first made for television video begins airing on cable television and on hospital channels throughout America.
1992
Continence Worldwide, the first international publication for not-for-profit organizations which serve people with incontinence is published, co-authored by Professor Christine Norton, R.N., Ph.D., (England) and Cheryle Gartley, President of the Simon Foundation (U.S.) on behalf of the Continence Promotion Committee of the International Continence Society.
1997
The first International Conference on Prevention is hosted by the Simon Foundation in London, England. Medical professionals from around the world spend three days discussing what is known about the prevention of incontinence and determining suggestions for further research in this long neglected area of science.
2003
Simon Foundation hosts the first International Conference on Stigma in Healthcare in Chicago as part of the launch of the Foundation's third decade of service. A Town Meeting about Stigma, hosted by Martha Teichner of CBS NEWS Sunday Morning, attracts over 100 individuals who have health condition which are stigmatized.
2003
Formal Black Tie Gala for Continence is held at the Chicago Historical Society. This event is the first North American Gala to build awareness of the needs of people with incontinence and to help defeat the stigma surrounding incontinence.
2003
The Simon Foundation commissions the first song written to help defeat stigma, entitled "I Am More", sung by three time EMMY Award winning performing artist, Gaia Tossing. A premier performance of this song highlights the New Freedoms Awards black tie gala at Navy Pier in Chicago.
2004
Jasmine Schmidt, the Foundation's Director of Education, presents a paper on "The Code and Practices of Toilets in the USA" at the World Toilet Organization's World Toilet Summit in Beijing, China.
2004
The Simon Foundation, represented by the Foundation's Director of Education, Jasmine Schmidt, appears on Peter Jenning's World News Tonight heightening awareness of the needs of people with incontinence.
2006
An article entitled "Life with Incontinence" by Simon Foundation's founder is published in The Lancet, highlighting to physicians worldwide the challenges individuals with incontinence face on a daily basis.
2007
The Simon Foundation launches its first international "Innovating for Continence: The Engineering Challenge" conference; a multidiscipinary meeting to educate innovators and heighten interest in innovation for continence among all stakeholders including: engineers; venture capitalists;healthprofessionals; individuals with incontinence; and scientists in various disciplines
2009
The Simon Foundation holds its second international "Innovating for Continnece: The Engineering Challenge" conference, continuing the theme and further evolving ideas set forth in its first conference in 2007. Attendees come from around the world for three days to share ideas from multiple disciplines, all in an effort to find new solutions for those with incontinence.
Page last modified 14 July 2009