The Simon Foundation for Continence Promoting Continence

About the Simon Foundation

The Simon Foundation for Continence was founded in 1983 in the United States, followed in 1985 by Simon Canada (now called the Canadian Continence Foundation). We are a 501(c)3 organization. The mission of the Foundation is to: "Bring the topic of incontinence out of the closet, remove the stigma surrounding it, and provide help and hope to people with incontinence, their families and the health professionals who provide their care." The Foundation's mission is supported by a Governing Board of Directors and an Advisory Board of professionals, many of whom have dedicated their careers to improving the clinical treatment of incontinence and advancing medical science through bladder and bowel research. Financially, the Foundation is sustained through educational grants, corporate contributions, sales of educational materials, and donations from individuals like you.

The Simon Foundation is known throughout the world for its innovative educational projects and tireless efforts on behalf of people with loss of bladder and bowel control. We have led the way forward with many groundbreaking projects, for example: the first book written for the layman, "Managing Incontinence; A Guide to Living with the Loss of Bladder Control"; an educational/support group, "I Will Manage", the first television movie on incontinence, "The Solution Starts with You"; conferences on little explored, but impactful subjects such as - the first International Conference on Prevention of Incontinence (London, England 1997) and the first International Conference and Town Meeting on Stigma in Healthcare (Chicago 2003) and the recently launched Defeating Stigma in Healthcare Campaign, to name just a few.

The Foundation's President and Founder, Cheryle B. Gartley, was the first person with incontinence to come out of the closet and speak publicly about loss of bladder control. She has promoted continence with keynote speeches and interviews on prime time television in England, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and throughout the United States and Canada.