WBCPC speaks on bladder cancer and continence health at EU policy event in Brussels

Our Project Coordinator, Theodoros Yfantis, spoke in Brussels at the event “Unseen, Uncounted, Unaddressed: The Case for Continence Health in EU Policy”, organised by the European Association of Urology (EAU) on June 24, 2026, as part of the Urge to Act campaign and hosted by MEP Tomislav Sokol.

The event brought together patient organisations, European Commission representatives and healthcare professionals to make the case for continence as a health policy priority. Across the EU, 55 to 60 million people are affected by continence health issues, with an economic burden estimated at € 69.1 billion in 2023, yet continence remains largely absent from major EU health policy frameworks.

Theodoros joined speakers including Erik Briers, Chair of EuropaUomo (prostate cancer patient representative), Dirk Hadrich from the European Commission’s Cancer Mission (DG RTD), Francisco Cruz from the EAU Policy Office, Eva Wallace from EAU Nurses, Tomasz Michalek from the World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP), and Claire Champeix from Eurocarers. Together, the speakers explored how incontinence intersects with cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions and mental health, and why it must be addressed in EU policy.

Why continence matters in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Europe and the fourth most common in men, with over 120,000 men in the EU diagnosed every year. One in four patients are women, and women are too often diagnosed late.

For people living with bladder cancer, continence problems can come from three directions: the tumour itself, the surgery used to treat it, and a worsening of urinary problems that were already present. Treatments such as BCG can also cause continence problems. According to our global survey, one in four patients underwent radical cystectomy, and once the bladder is gone, the body needs a new way to pass urine.

Many patients have told us that they were simply not informed enough about what happens to their body after treatment, or about the changes they need to make in their everyday lives. On top of the physical and psychological impact, incontinence also carries an economic cost. Patients have to buy pads or protective underwear, which in many countries are not even reimbursed.

What WBCPC called for

Speaking on behalf of the bladder cancer patient community, Theodoros set out three priorities:

• Make continence a quality of life measure for cancer patients and survivors, including in patient reported outcomes
• Include continence in shared decision-making before treatment, so that people can understand what life may look like afterwards
• Provide patients with clear educational resources on how treatment choices may affect continence

MEP Tomislav Sokol expressed his support and highlighted that the European Parliament is pushing for at least € 10 billion earmarked for health in the next EU budget.

WBCPC is proud to be a member of the Urge to Act coalition and to continue bringing the patient voice into the spaces where health policy decisions are made.

Want to understand why continence is still the conversation bladder cancer care too often avoids? Read our opinion piece, What nobody tells you: bladder cancer, continence and the care that is missing, in which a urologist, a nurse researcher and a patient each answer the same question from their own perspective.