Interstitial Cystitis Association

🌟 Join us for our next free webinar in the ICA’s Monthly Webinar Series, 8-AG: A Novel Drug Candidate to Manage Interstitial Cystitis Pain. Hosted by Dr. Lori Birder, this webinar will introduce 8-AG, a new medication being developed for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). 8-AG works by flipping a natural switch in the body's cells, boosting protective molecules while reducing harmful ones that cause tissue damage. The result is less inflammation, healthier tissue across multiple organs, and meaningful pain relief.

🗓Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 🕘 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Eastern | 📍Google Meet

➡Register here: https://8-AG-A-Novel-Drug-Candidate.eventbrite.com

🎟Your confirmation email will include an option to add the event to your calendar and access your tickets, along with a link to join the webinar.

This webinar will be recorded and shared later via the ICA monthly newsletter. (Not signed up to get our emailed newsletters? Visit https://www.ichelp.org/icacommunicationssign-up/)

📣 Calling all health professionals!

Are you passionate about improving care for people living with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS)? The Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) is now accepting applications for its Medical Advisory Council (MAC).

MAC members serve a three-year term and help advance ICA’s mission by providing medical and scientific expertise, contributing educational content, and meeting virtually twice per year.

We welcome applications from all qualified health professionals and are especially interested in those with expertise in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain science/management.

🗓 Applications are due Friday, August 14, 2026.

➡ Learn more and apply: https://www.ichelp.org/icamedicaladvisorycouncil/

🚻 Need quick restroom access when IC/BPS symptoms strike?

The Interstitial Cystitis Association offers Restroom Access Cards designed to help people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome explain their urgent need to use a restroom.

While these cards are not legally binding, they are based on the spirit of Ally’s Law, which supports restroom access for people with certain medical conditions. Having a card on hand can make it easier to discreetly communicate your need in stores, restaurants, and other public places.

💙 If you live with IC/BPS, consider ordering your ICA Restroom Access Card today from the ICA Shop:

👉 ichelp.org/icashop

Because when you need a restroom, every minute matters.

📢 We, at the ICA, believe in the power of proclamations and the difference they can make. That’s why we encourage our community to request a proclamation from their jurisdiction for IC/BPS.

Last year, ICA Board Members and Staff paved the way by obtaining proclamations in multiple states for 2025 IC Awareness Month. Now, it’s your turn to join the ranks of these advocates and make a difference in your community for IC Awareness Month in September 2026.

➡ Learn more here: https://www.ichelp.org/get-involved/advocate/ic-proclamation-requests/

Don't forget to email us the results of your request (pictures wanted!) at [email protected].

🌟 Save the date! 🌟

The ICA is getting ready to recognize IC Awareness Month in September 2026. As part of our efforts, we're hosting a virtual, half-day conference on Saturday, September 26th, from 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. Eastern. More information on the program and registration will be shared soon!

Can diet help with IC/BPS symptoms? A new systematic review explored the research on dietary interventions for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

The takeaway: individualized elimination diets may help some people identify personal food triggers, but the overall scientific evidence is still limited. The review found only four randomized studies, with a total of 147 participants. Researchers concluded that more high-quality studies are needed before making strong diet recommendations for everyone with IC/BPS.

At the ICA, we know many patients report food-related flares. We also know that overly restrictive diets can lead to stress, food fear, and nutrition concerns. The goal is not to fear food; it’s to find a balanced, flexible approach that works for your body.

Want plain-language updates on IC/BPS research? The ICA Research Digest routinely summarizes and shares studies like this to help patients, caregivers, and clinicians stay informed.

➡Sign up for the ICA Research Digest here: https://www.ichelp.org/icacommunicationssign-up/

This is exciting news! The ICA supports the Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act and is pleased to see this important piece of legislation reintroduced!

Today, we celebrate an important step forward for the chronic pain community.

Thank you to U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Kevin Cramer, Senator Andy Kim, and Senator Steve Daines for introducing the bipartisan Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act. This federal legislation would strengthen chronic pain research, improve data collection, and help pave the way for better understanding, better treatments, and better outcomes for the more than 60 million Americans living with chronic pain.

At U.S. Pain Foundation, we know that better data leads to better research—and better research leads to better care. We're proud to work on this important legislation, and we thank the bill's sponsors for recognizing that people living with chronic pain deserve answers, innovation, and hope. Thank you to the many patient advocacy organizations, medical societies, and advocates standing together in support of this critical legislation. Together, we can build a future where pain is better understood—and no one is left behind.

🌟 Today's the day! Join us for IC Talk: A Patient Forum hosted by the Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA), a virtual patient-to-patient conversation about living with and managing IC/BPS.

🗓 Monday, July 20, 2026 | 🕘 6:00–7:00 p.m. Eastern | 📍 Google Meet

➡ Register here: https://IC-Talk_July2026_ICA.eventbrite.com

🎟 Your confirmation email will include an option to add the event to your calendar and access your tickets, along with a link to join the webinar.

This is not medical advice—it’s a supportive space to ask questions and learn from fellow patients’ experiences. To protect confidentiality, the session will not be recorded. A de-identified summary will be shared later via the ICA monthly newsletter. (Not signed up to get our emailed newsletters? Visit https://www.ichelp.org/icacommunicationssign-up/)

In the July episode of The Connected Journey: Life with IC, host Laura Santurri speaks with Pam White, a flight attendant whose IC journey began when what seemed like a routine UTI turned into a months-long road to diagnosis. Pam received little guidance beyond being told her condition was chronic and incurable, leaving her to navigate treatments largely on her own. After a low-acid diet and other early strategies provided only partial relief, and feeling resistant to invasive procedures like cystoscopies and Botox, Pam discovered the LifeWave X39 patch through her hairdresser, a fellow IC patient. She shares how consistent daily use of the patch, combined with strict dietary management, led to gradual but meaningful improvement, with significant relief by the five-week mark and good days becoming her new normal after a year. Pam also opens up about the very real toll IC took on her career, leading her to take a full year away from her physically demanding job as a flight attendant, and how she has since begun easing back into work with a more self-compassionate approach. She closes with an empowering message to fellow IC patients: your pain is real, you deserve to be heard, and there is hope on the other side.

Together, we're defeating isolation, one story at a time. Available on Apple Podcasts & YouTube.

Learn more here: https://www.ichelp.org/living-with-ic/news-communications/ica-podcast/