The campaign targets women ages 40-65 years with bladder control problems. Supplementing the 30-second television message are print PSAs being distributed to Spanish-language newspapers in selected cities across the U.S. This represents an on-going partnership between the two entities for promoting better health to the Hispanic community. Univision’s multi-media forums reach more Hispanics each day than any other media company in the country.

Funded by a grant from the Medtronic Foundation, the undertaking represents the ramp-up of an outreach program initiated by NAFC in 2001. Since that time, NAFC has published in print and electronically educational materials in Spanish, including free access at its web site www.nafc.org, and hired Spanish language specialists on staff to receive calls on its toll-free 1-800-BLADDER help line for consumers. In addition, the organization has undertaken focus group market research among Latinas in order to craft more culturally sensitive materials for Hispanics and to better address the myths and concerns of Hispanics surrounding bladder health. NAFC’s message to Hispanic women is one that assures them their symptoms deserve attention and that behavioral, pharmaceutical, and surgical solutions are available.

To guide its effort, NAFC has assembled a task force of leading clinicians from around the country, headed by NAFC Board Member G. Willy Davila, MD, a urogynecologist of South American descent at Cleveland Clinic Florida. In addition, the organization has tapped the experience of other consumer not-for-profit groups whose own outreach programs have served as examples. This advisory panel consists of the American Diabetes Association, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, among others. “There is no excuse for allowing cultural barriers to limit our ability as a nation to meet the health needs of all people or to restrict their access to the services that are available. I am particularly proud of the courage and creativity that NAFC has demonstrated with this outreach to the Latina community and honored to help shepherd its future,” commented Dr. Davila.

As the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority in the U.S., the Hispanic or Latino population of any race exceeds 35 million. This represents one in every eight Americans and constitutes over nine million households. Like other population groups in America, Hispanics are witnessing a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, both risk factors for incontinence. In addition, pregnancy and childbirth are leading risk factors for incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women.

About the National Association For Continence (NAFC)

NAFC is a 501 (c) 3 corporation whose mission is threefold: 1) to educated the public about the causes, diagnosis categories, treatment options, and management alternatives for bladder and bowel control problems, voiding dysfunction, nocturnal enuresis, and related pelvic floor disorders; 2) to network with other organizations and agencies to elevate the visibility and priority given to these areas; and 3) to advocate on behalf of consumers who suffer from such symptoms as a result of disease or other illness, obstetrical, surgical or other trauma, or deterioration due to the aging process itself. NAFC is broadly funded by consumers, healthcare professionals and industry. It is the world’s largest and most prolific consumer advocacy organization devoted exclusively to this field.

About the Medtronic Foundation

In existence since 1978, the Medtronic Foundation is supported by medical device giant Medtronic, which consistently gives two percent of its domestic pretax profit to the communities where it has operations. Its goal of philanthropy is to improve the health of people with chronic diseases, educating future generations of scientific innovators and enhancing the communities where its employees live and work. It is based in Minneapolis at the global corporate headquarters of Medtronic, Inc.

About Univision Communications Inc. (Univision

Univision is the leading Spanish language media company serving the rapidly growing Hispanic population in the U. S. Its portfolio includes television, radio, music and Internet offerings for news and entertainment. The television operations include the Univision Network, Telefutura Network, Galavision and Univision and Telefutura Television Group. Its corporate headquarters is in Los Angeles.