Ex-Footballer’s Incontinence Experience Prompts Call for Male Sanitary Facilities

Joe Appiah, an athlete and former semi-professional footballer from Kent, has stated that incontinence has “put off from leaving his house,” despite the increasing availability of male sanitary bins. Appiah, who received a prostate cancer diagnosis at age 51, is now advocating for the installation of these facilities in all football clubs across the county. Following successful surgery, Mr. Appiah reports that his life has been altered by concerns regarding incontinence. He shared with BBC Radio Kent: “I remember having a number of accidents in the early stages of my recovery and it wasn’t pleasant.” The Prostate Cancer UK charity indicates that approximately one in three men over 65 in the UK experience urinary incontinence. In June, Govia Thameslink Railway announced the installation of sanitary bins in nearly 500 male toilet cubicles, specifically for men dealing with incontinence. Furthermore, in November, Manchester United declared its intention to be the inaugural Premier League club to provide male sanitary facilities, encompassing sanitary bins and pads. Mr. Appiah recounted an instance in London where, after disembarking a train, he discovered all toilets were locked, resulting in what he described as an “accident.” He also mentioned experiencing another incident during athletics training, stating: “Myself and a lot of men have to think a lot about ‘Do I want to go out? If I do, are there going to be facilities around?'” Currently, he is advocating for all football clubs in Kent to supply sanitary products and install sanitary bins for men affected by incontinence. He commented: “I’m never going to have to recover from it. It has improved but it won’t go away.”