The journey to confidence: intermittent catheterization & lifestyle tips for men

Adjusting to using an intermittent catheter can be difficult, and bladder management concerns may leave you wondering if you’ll be able to return to the activities you enjoy or live an independent life. You may have questions about bladder routines, staying compliant, and how to incorporate it into your everyday life – and we’re here to help you gain confidence! Join us to discuss intermittent catheterization and lifestyle tips for men with three inspiring panelists including Thomas Cloyd, Neil Gustafson, and Zac Wolfe, who all experienced spinal cord injuries that resulted in needing to use intermittent catheters. They’ll share how they gained confidence in their new routine, tips and tricks for self-catheterization, and how it has ultimately enabled them to live full, independent lives.
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    Thomas Cloyd
    A Minnesota native, Thomas Cloyd is an avid traveler, MBA, and digital healthcare professional who relocated to Oakland, California, in 2018. While Thomas now lives a fully independent life, it took persistence and a lot of support from others to get there. After a diving accident in 2012, Thomas sustained a C5/C6 level spinal cord injury that left him quadriplegic. For him, the road to independence included Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, where he completed their Activity-Based Locomotor Exercise Program (ABLE) and joined the Minnesota Steelheads wheelchair rugby team. While exercise helped him become more independent, finding the right bladder management routine and an intermittent catheter that he could open with limited hand dexterity was also critical. In 2018 he achieved another milestone and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, which led to his new career in California. Despite being far away from his established support system, Thomas has been able to live an independent life full of activity, socialization, and travel, which his self-catheterization routine has helped enable.
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    Neil Gustafson
    After turning 18 and graduating high school in the summer of 1994, Neil Gustafson was a passenger in a car accident that resulted in a C5-level spinal cord injury that left him quadriplegic. An athlete his whole life, Neil started playing wheelchair rugby a week out of rehab, which he completed at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, Washington. Neil’s passion for rugby opened new doors, and he had the opportunity to compete in New Zealand and Australia for team USA Wheelchair Rugby. His rugby journey also led him to move to Austin, Texas, to continue playing for the Texas Stampede Wheelchair Rugby team. He achieved another milestone while there and graduated from Texas State University in 2005 with a degree in rehabilitation science and sociology, before moving back to Spokane. There, he co-founded Rocky Mountain Medical Supply, a durable medical equipment company dedicated to better serving individuals who use urological or incontinence supplies. After Rocky Mountain Medical Supply joined the Comfort Medical family last year, Neil began using Coloplast SpeediCath® hydrophilic catheters, and says that it has been a night and day improvement from any product he’s used over the last 20 years, which has made the comfort and ease of catheterizing second to none. Neil’s self-catheterization routine has helped him live an independent life and continue doing what he loves – like spending time with his two daughters, friends, and family and pursuing outdoor passions.
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    Zac Wolfe
    Zac Wolfe is from a small town in Pennsylvania and has always been active and passionate about the outdoors. When he was 19 years old, he was involved in a car accident that resulted in a C5/C6 level spinal cord injury. Zac’s road to independence started at Healthsouth in Harmarville, PA, where he worked on transitioning into life with a spinal cord injury. Determined to do his best and push himself, Zac never missed a day of therapy, but he still wondered if he would be able to do the things he loved again, like mountain biking and off-roading in his Jeep. During years of therapy, Zac’s goal was to return to those activities and live an independent life, a journey which he says has taught him so much about himself and what the human body is capable of. Another key to Zac’s independence was an introduction to SpeediCath® intermittent catheters while in inpatient rehab. Due to his limited hand function, it was the only intermittent catheter he could open independently, which has been integral to returning to the activities he enjoys. Now, Zac does everything he used to do and then some, including starting a company called Adaptive Outdoorz. His company aims to bring the disabled community together to share their unique stories of overcoming obstacles and being active outdoors, as well as help those who are struggling to find the strength to move forward.
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    Disclaimer
    Thomas, Neil, and Zac are SpeediCath® catheter users who have received compensation from Coloplast to provide this information. Each person’s situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this product is right for you.

    The material shared within this webinar is based on the personal experience and learnings of the presenters. Nothing within the webinar is intended to be used as medical advice and or used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

    This information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice and should not be interpreted to contain treatment recommendations. You should rely on the healthcare professional who knows your individual history for personal medical advice and diagnosis. Please see complete product instructions for use, including all product indications, contraindications, precautions, warnings, and adverse events.

    Call your healthcare provider if you have any medical concerns. You may also contact your Coloplast® Care Advisor for product usage and availability questions at 1-866-226-6362.