Gail Cartmail, a bladder cancer patient, has offered reassurance to those facing life-changing surgery, describing it as manageable and life-saving. Her comments follow reports of a new drug trial that could spare patients the need for such surgery.
Cartmail, diagnosed in 2020 like artist Tracey Emin, acknowledges the challenges of life without a bladder. She notes the need for careful planning due to limited public toilet capacity and the reduced capacity of bladder bags. However, she emphasises that with advice from stoma nurse specialists, leaks can be avoided.
She highlights the support available from the Urostomy Association and shares that she now enjoys outdoor swimming and walking year-round. Entertainment venues have been accommodating, offering end-of-row seats for easy toilet access.
Cartmail advises openness with colleagues, friends, and family, as well as strangers if necessary. She stresses that wearing an external bladder requires adjustments but is nothing to be embarrassed about. Her message to those facing surgery: don't despair – it is life-changing but manageable and, crucially, life-saving.
