THEY'RE MEDICAL DEVICES ROUTINELY USED BY BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN. AND AS A GROWING NUMBER OF THE US POPULATION AGES, IT'S
A DEVICE CERTAIN TO INCREASE IN DEMAND AND USE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT URINARY CATHETERS. AND WHILE A SENSITIVE
MEDICAL TOPIC, NO DOUBT, IT'S ONE THAT REALLY MERITS
DISCUSSION. WITH US TO DO EXACTLY THAT,
NIKKI MCCORMICK, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR WELLSPECT
HEALTHCARE. ALSO JOINING US THIS MORNING IS DR. MATTHEW SAND, A
UROLOGIST WITH THE SHEPHERD CENTER IN ATLANTA. AND LATER ON
WE'RE GOING TO GET A CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL CONVERSATION WITH
TWO CATHETER USERS. YOUNG ADULTS, BENEFITING FROM THE USE
OF STATE OF THE ART CATHETERS. HERE TO LEND THEIR PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVE ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.
GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU. GOOD MORNING.
NIKKI, LET ME START WITH YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT IS
A URINARY CATHETER AND WHAT IT'S USED FOR.
OK, WELL, INTIMATE IN CATHETERIZATION IS THE SECOND
BEST WAY TO ENTER YOUR BLADDER. THE FIRST WAY IS WHAT YOU AND DO
VOLUNTARILY EVERY DAY. SURE.
IT'S A SPECIAL TUBE CALLED A CATHETER THAT'S INSERTED INTO
THE BLADDER. IT DRAINS THE URINE AND THEN IS REMOVED AND
DISCARDED. SO, IT ALLOWS THE BLADDER TO WORK NORMALLY,
FILLING AND EMPTYING AS NEEDED. AND THERE ARE MANY CONDITIONS
THAT CAUSE THE BLADDER TO NOT WORK PROPERLY, FOR INSTANCE,
SPINAL CORD INJURY. THAT'S RIGHT.
MS, SPINAL BIFODA. THE AGING PROCESS. SO, INTIMATE
IN CATHETERIZATION ALLOWS THE BLADDER TO WORKING NORMALLY AND
LOFRIC AND HARD TO FILL IT CATHETER THAT ALLOWS THE PATIENT
TO USE THAT PRODUCT AND MAINTAIN THEIR BLADDER HEALTH.
DOCTOR, OBVIOUSLY THE MAKE UP OF A MAN AND WOMAN ARE DIFFERENT.
SO, ARE CATHETERS DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL?
SURE. THE ULTIMATE DESIGN OF THE CATHETER IS SIMILAR. IT'S THE
LENGTH OF THE CATHETER THAT'S DIFFERENT, THE MALE AND FEMALE
URINARY TRACT ARE OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS. SO, THAT'S THE MAIN
DIFFERENCE. NOW, NIKKI, YOUR COMPANY
DEVELOPED AND INVENTED THE HYDROPHILIC CATHETER.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT. WELLSPECT FORMALLY ASTERTECK,
INVENTED THE LOFRIC CATHETER BACK IN 1983. AND WE'VE
CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND INVOLVE THE PRODUCT DURING THAT TIME UP
UNTIL THE PRESENT DAY OF THE NEWER PRODUCTS LIKE LOFRIC ORIGO
AND LOFRIC SENSE. SO, WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. HAVE A LOT
OF EXPERIENCE AND WE CONTINUE TO AFER 30 YEARS OF BEING AN EXPERT
IN THE INTIMATE IN CATHETERIZATION MARKET, WE'RE
LEADERS IN INNOVATION, QUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING
EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR USERS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.
SO, AS A COMPANY WE STRIVE TO PASSIONATELY MAKE A REAL
DIFFERENCE TO EVERY ONE EVERY DAY THAT USES OUR PRODUCTS AND
THAT'S IMPORTANT. SURE.
IF IT HAS TO FIT IN TO YOUR LIFESTYLE. AND SO, AND WE WANT
TO CONTINUE EVOLVE AND DEVELOP AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR OUR
USERS. AND DOCTOR, YOU OBVIOUSLY, BEING
A UROLOGIST, WHAT'S THE FEEDBACK YOU'VE GOTTEN FROM PATIENTS WITH
THE LOFRIC LINE? IT'S BEEN A VERY VERY POSITIVE
FEEDBACK. MANY TIMES I'LL EXPOSE PATIENTS TO THIS TYPE CATHETER
AND THEY'RE SURPRISED AT HOW EASY IT IS TO PASS A CATHETER,
HOW SMOOTH THE CATHETER IS AND IT REALLY DOES CHANGE THEIR DAY
TO DAY LIFE AND IMPROVES IT. AND OVERALL THEY'VE BEEN VERY
SATISFIED WITH THIS TYPE OF CATHETER.
WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU FIRST THINK ABOUT THE WORDING,
YOU HEAR THE WORD CATHETER, YOU IMMEDIATELY KIND OF CRINGE, BUT
YET, THERE COULD BE A DIFFERENCE WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO
PAINFUL. RIGHT. IT'S A DELICATE TOPIC IN
GENERAL. ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE IT EASIER FROM A
DAY TO DAY STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF.
NIKKI, SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT IS HEALTH INSURANCE AND IF IT'S
COVERED. YES.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? YEAH, MOST INSURANCE PROVIDERS
WILL COVER INTIMATE CATHETERS BUT WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS
YOU CAN HAVE LOFRIC, WHICH IS THE SUPERIOR CLINICALLY PROVEN
PRODUCT, THE MOST DOCUMENTED CATHETER IN THE WORLD, AND IT'S
A NO EXTRA COST TO YOUR HEALTHCARE INSURANCE. AND WHEN
YOUR CATHETERIZING UP TO 2,000 TIMES A YEAR, NOT ONLY IS
BLADDER HEALTH IMPORTANT BUT IT'S VITAL TO KEEPING HEALTHCARE
COSTS DOWN. AND DOCTOR, I REALLY DO APPLAUD
PATIENTS TODAY BEING THEIR OWN ADVOCATES. IT'S REALLY COME A
LONG WAY. YEAH, THERE'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT,
ESPECIALLY WITH MEDICAL PRODUCTS, THE GENERIC
PRESCRIPTION, LIKE A GENERIC MEDICAL TABLET IS NOT THE SAME
THING AS GENERIC MEDICAL DEVICE AND I'M ALWAYS ENCOURAGING
PATIENTS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT DEVICES WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND
MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONTINUING TO USE WHAT'S WHAT WE'RE WRITING
FOR BECAUSE IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A GENERIC MEDICAL DEVICE AND A TRADE MEDICAL DEVICE.
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SPEAKING NOW WITH OUR NEXT
GUEST. I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOCTOR THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AND WHEN WE RETURN, WE ARE GOING TO MEET TWO REMARKABLE YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO'VE MET LIFE'S CHALLENGES HEAD ON. LIVING PROOF
THAT GREAT ATTITUDE AND GREAT TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER CAN AND DO
PRODUCE GREAT THINGS. MORE, WHEN THE BALANCING ACT
RETURNS. STAY RIGHT THERE.
(SINGING) I GOT CAST ON THE GLEE PROJECT.
I'M ENTERING A REALITY TV SHOW AND THIS IS MY REAL LIFE.
(SINGING) WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. WE'RE
JOINED BY TWO REMARKABLE PEOPLE, ALI STROKER AND JESSIE BILLAUER.
SO ACCOMPLISHED AND CATHETER USERS AS WELL.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
THANK YOU. NOW, I KNOW BOTH OF YOU ARE
PATIENT AMBASSADORS FOR WELLSPECT. TELL ME WHAT LEAD UP
TO THAT ALI? I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN I
WAS TWO YEARS OLD WHICH LEFT ME PARALYZED FROM THE CHEST DOWN
AND I HAVE A SPINAL CORD INJURY. AND YOU JESSE?
I ACTUALLY GOT HURT SURFING RIGHT BEFORE TURNING
PROFESSIONAL. IT'S JUST SO AMAZING HOW THIS
INJURY THAT YOU BOTH ENDURED HAS NOT STOPPED YOU. YOU'VE DONE SO
MUCH AND I WANT ALL OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW. I MEAN YOU ARE AN
ACTRESS, YOU'RE A SINGER, TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
I STARTED SINGING WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND LAST YEAR, I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE GLEE PROJECT AND GLEE. AND THAT
REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE I AM FOLLOWING
AND ACHIEVING MY DREAMS. THAT'S GREAT. AND BREAKING NEWS
HERE, BECAUSE JESSE, IS STILL SURFING. JESSE I'M GOING TO
SHOW SOME PICTURES OF YOU AND JUST TELL ME, MY GOODNESS, IT'S
AMAZING THAT YOU STILL DO THIS. YEAH, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP
SURFING SINCE I WAS 9 YEARS OLD. AND GOT SPONSORED WHEN I WAS 12,
TRAVELED AROUND THE WORLD AND THEN AT 17, I ENDED UP BREAKING
MY NECK AND YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO BE PRO SURFER SO INSTEAD OF
DOING THAT I STARTED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED LIFE ROLLS
ON. WHERE WE TAKE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SURFING AND
SKATEBOARDING. WE DO IT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IN FLORIDA,
CALIFORNIA, NEW JERSEY, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW
YORK. GOOD FOR YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, WE GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT
INDEPENDENCE, THAT FREEDOM. AND THE PROGRAM IS CALLED THEY WILL
SURF AGAIN, THEY WILL SKATE AGAIN. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A
BEAUTIFUL FEELING TO GIVE BACK. FABULOUS.
AND I KNOW YOU ARE GIVEN BACK ALSO BY BEING A PATIENT
AMBASSADOR TO WELLSPECT. TELL ME ABOUT THAT AND TELL ME ABOUT HOW
YOU'RE VERY OPEN ABOUT USING A CATHETER AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO DO THAT. ABSOLUTELY, I THINK IT'S
ESSENTIAL TO OPEN UP THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THERE IS A
LOT OF FEAR AND EMBARRASSMENT AROUND CATHETERIZATION. AND
THERE ARE PRODUCTS OUT THERE. I USE THE LOFRIC SENSE AND IT'S
SMALL AND CAN CONVENIENT AND CAN JUST THROW IT IN THE FRONT OF MY
SUITCASE OR IN MY PURSE AND IT BLENDS RIGHT IN WITH MY LADY
PRODUCTS AND IT'S REALLY MADE MY LIFE A LOT EASIER.
AND JESSE, WHY HAS IT MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU TO USE THIS
ONE? I USE THE HYDROKIT. AND FOR ME,
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT HAS ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE DOING TO
THE THINGS THAT I LOVE WITHOUT HAVING THE COMPLICATIONS OF
BLADDER INFECTIONS WHICH I HAD BEFORE I USED THESE PRODUCTS.
SO, I MEAN, THIS COMPANY HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED MY LIFE AND TO
BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO LET THEM KNOW
ABOUT IT, THAT'S REALLY WHAT MEANS A LOT. SO, THEY DON'T HAVE
TO GO THROUGH THE BLADDER INFECTIONS, THE STAY AT HOME,
NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE, SO.
AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT COMES TO MY MIND WHEN I THINK OF
CATHETER USERS, I THINK, OH MY GOSH, THE POOR, THE INFECTIONS,
THE ANTIBIOTICS, AND IT'S MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU TOO. THIS
LOFRIC. YEAH, IT'S MADE A HUGE HUGE
DIFFERENCE. I USED TO HAVE UTI'S EVERY MONTH.
OH MY GOODNESS. AND ON AND OFF OF ANTIBIOTICS
AND SO SWITCHING OVER TO LOFRIC REALLY HAS CHANGED THAT AND MADE
MY LIFE A LOT EASIER. ALRIGHT SO WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA
NOW? HOW HIGH ARE THE WAVES, JESSE?
YEAH, I THINK RIGHT NOW, I THINK FORT LAUDERDALE IS PROBABLY LIKE
1 TO 2 INCHES. OH THAT'S NOTHING FOR YOU RIGHT?
BUT YOU KNOW, YEAH. PIECE OF CAKE.
I WOULDN'T EVEN DO THAT. YEAH.
FISHING. AND YOU LET US KNOW WHEN YOU ARE
GOING TO BE ON STAGE AGAIN? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. YOU GUYS ARE SUCH GREAT ROLE MODELS. REALLY APPRECIATE
IT. THANK YOU.
AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU AS WELL, OK?
AND OF COURSE IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TODAY'S
TOPIC, VISIT US AT THEBALANCINGACT.COM
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