Chronic UTI Australia Inc.

23/11/2025

Do you have a chronic UTI story?

We’re building a list of people willing to share their lived experience—through interviews, media stories, case studies and meetings—to help raise awareness of chronic UTI.

If this sounds like you, visit our Share Your Story page and complete the online form.

If you’ve already shared your story with us, thank you 💛.

Patient voices can make a real difference!

https://www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/share-your-story/

19/11/2025

UTIs aren't for the faint-hearted - and if you're a woman or AFAB person reading this, you'd know that all too well.

For many, chronic UTIs are not just a passing pain but a long-term, debilitating battle that too often goes unrecognised.

With the recent release of the Inquiry into Women's Pain report we hope it's time those living with chronic UTI are finally taken seriously.

Thank you Georgie Purcell - Animal Justice Party MP for your support.

15/11/2025

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

Thank you to everyone who’s taken part in our 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 campaign to raise awareness of 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗨𝗧𝗜 and push for change in how UTIs are recognised, diagnosed and treated in Australia.

Your letters to MPs made a real impact. Following your lead, Chronic UTI Australia wrote to 225 federal MPs and Senators, sharing patient experiences and calling for national leadership to improve outcomes and reduce the health and economic costs of poorly managed UTIs.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Since September, we’ve met with politicians and advisers across all major parties—Labor, Liberal, Greens and Independents. Each meeting included a patient representative who bravely shared their lived experience. Watch the reel to see who we met and whether your local MP was one of them.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱
We highlighted how outdated UTI tests and guidelines are failing patients, leading to chronic infections invisible to current diagnostics.

𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
• Recognition of chronic UTI as a serious public health issue
• An inquiry or expert review into system failures
• Updated national clinical guidelines
• Funding for a specialist clinic
• Investment in better diagnostics and treatments

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗿
The response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Many MPs were aware of chronic UTI or had a personal connection. They acknowledged the urgent need for better care and offered guidance on next steps, including the possibility of a parliamentary inquiry.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁
Meetings continue into December and early next year. If you haven’t written to your MP, there’s still time—every letter strengthens the patient voice.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂
A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved—especially our incredible patient advocates: Mel, Paige, Marilyn, Monica, Pippa, Kylie, Danae, Imelda, Rachel and Helen. Your courage is driving real change.

Together, we’re making chronic UTI visible—and ensuring patients are heard.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱: write to your MP, share the campaign, or donate to support advocacy and materials:
🔗 chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action/

13/11/2025

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
Thanks to everyone who’s taken part in our 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 campaign to raise awareness of 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗨𝗧𝗜 and push for change in how UTIs are recognised, diagnosed and treated in Australia.

Your letters to MPs made a real impact. Following your lead, Chronic UTI Australia wrote directly to 𝟮𝟮𝟱 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, sharing patient experiences and calling for government leadership to improve patient outcomes and reduce the wider health and economic costs of poorly managed UTIs.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Since September, we’ve met with politicians and advisers from across all major parties and most states—including Labor, Liberal, Greens and Independents, both online and in Canberra.

Each meeting included a patient representative who courageously shared their lived experience of chronic UTI. You can scroll across for the full list of who we’ve met and see if your local MP was one of them!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱
We highlighted how outdated UTI tests and treatment guidelines are failing patients, leading to chronic infections that are invisible to current diagnostics.

𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
• Formal recognition of chronic UTI as a serious public health issue
• An inquiry or expert review into system failures
• Updated national clinical guidelines, including guidelines for chronic UTI
• Funding for a specialist research and treatment clinic
• Investment in better diagnostics and treatments for all forms of UTI.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗿
The response from politicians has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Many were already aware of chronic UTI or had a personal connection to the issue. They acknowledged the urgent need for better care and offered guidance on next steps — including the possibility of a parliamentary inquiry and introductions to key decision-makers.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁
We still have meetings scheduled into December and early next year, and we’ll continue engaging with MPs who are exploring ways to move this issue forward.

If you haven’t yet written to your local MP, there’s still time! Visit our Take Action page on the website for easy instructions. Every letter helps amplify the patient voice and keeps chronic UTI on the national agenda.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 💛
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s taken part—from those who wrote to MPs, to our incredible patient advocates who supported us in meetings and spoke with conviction: 𝗠𝗲𝗹, 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗲, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗻, 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝗣𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮, 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗲, 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗲, 𝗜𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗮, 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻. Your stories and knowledge are powerful and help drive real change.

Together, we’re making chronic UTI visible—and making sure patients are finally heard.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱
It’s not over yet! You can still help by writing to your MP, sharing our campaign on your social media, or donating to help fund important work like advocacy trips to Canberra and creating high-quality materials that ensure chronic UTI remains on the national agenda. Visit our 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 campaign to see how you can get involved: https://www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action/

Andrea Sherwin
Co-founder/secretary
Chronic UTI Australia
November 2025

27/10/2025

💛 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗨𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 💛

Chronic UTI Australia is a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit supporting people affected by chronic UTI and driving change in awareness, testing, and treatment.

Do you own or work for a business that could partner with us?

Your sponsorship can:
🌿 Support vital advocacy
🌿 Align your brand with purpose
🌿 Help expand our awareness and education work

Big or small, one-off or ongoing — we would love to hear from you.
💌 Email contact@chronicutiaustralia.org.au or message us to learn more.

21/09/2025

New recurrent UTI guideline update by the American Urological Association (AUA) - Emphasises Treating People, Not Just Tests

The updated guidance reflects the growing understanding of the urinary microbiome and emphases that clinicians should no longer rely on the findings of standard urine culture or any other bacterial detection method as a substitute for clinical judgement.

Symptom resolution is now considered more important than simply eradicating bacteria. If someone doesn’t have symptoms, treatment may not be needed—even if tests are positive.

The guidelines aim to reduce confusion caused by newer, more sensitive testing methods, which sometimes detect bacteria that aren’t causing symptoms.

Guideline amendment chair, Dr. A. Lenore Ackerman, says:

“We wanted to make sure to bring that focus back to the idea that we treat patients and not tests. If patients don't have symptoms, there's no need to treat them, and if they do have symptoms, we should be focused on managing the symptoms, regardless of what our tests say.”

A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD, discusses the renewed emphasis on symptom resolution over microbial eradication in the new AUA guideline for recurrent uUTI in women.

18/09/2025

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗧𝗜𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹!

Yesterday, Chronic UTI Australia Inc. had a very positive and constructive online meeting with Queensland Senator Corinne Mulholland to share our concerns about the growing public health challenge of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

More meetings are scheduled in the coming weeks with MPs from Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales, as well as a meeting in Canberra at the end of October.

𝗔 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗣𝘀. Your powerful letters and personal stories are making a real impact.

MPs are prioritising meetings based on the concerns raised by their constituents. If you've been thinking about writing but haven’t yet, now is the time. Your voice truly matters.

16/08/2025

✍️ Add your voice to our open letter to Mark Butler MP.

We’re calling on the Federal Minister for Health to:

- Recognise chronic UTI as a real condition
- Review outdated testing and treatment guidelines
- Educate health professionals on best-practice care
- Fund research into better diagnostics and treatments
- Establish specialist clinics

Sign the letter now 👉 www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action

Please help us spread the word and share this post to encourage others to sign.

13/08/2025

11/08/2025

Monica’s 50-Year Fight with Chronic UTI

Monica has battled UTIs since childhood, enduring over five decades of pain, misdiagnosis, and medical dismissal. She was told it was “all in her head” until she finally found help through a UK clinic in 2020.

Her story represents thousands of Australians living with chronic UTI—unseen and unheard due to outdated tests and a lack of recognition.

It’s time for change:
- Recognition of chronic UTI as a real and serious condition
- Better, more accurate testing
- Improved treatment options
- Updated clinical guidelines to stop the dismissal of patients

💌 Sign the open letter to the Federal Health Minister
📢 Write to your MP
✊ Chronic UTI shouldn’t be a life sentence. We deserve answers.

Join the campaign: https://www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action

09/08/2025

Jenny’s Story: The Emotional Toll of Chronic UTI

Jenny shares what it’s like to live with chronic UTI—not just the physical symptoms, but the deep emotional impact and isolation of having a condition that’s misunderstood and often dismissed in Australia.

Her story is a moving reminder that we need urgent change.

Support the call for:
- Recognition of chronic UTI as a serious condition
- Better testing and treatment
- Updated medical guidelines

💌 Sign the open letter to the Federal Health Minister
📢 Write to your MP
✊ Chronic UTI shouldn’t be a life sentence. We deserve answers.

Join the campaign: https://www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action

07/08/2025

Annie’s Story: Chronic UTI is Real and Life-Altering

After years of UTIs and kidney issues, Annie was repeatedly dismissed—until she discovered the truth: an embedded infection not recognised by most doctors in Australia.

Her story exposes the hidden struggle of chronic UTI and why we urgently need better testing, treatment, and recognition.

✊ Help us push for change.
💌 Sign the open letter & write to your MP.
🔗 Join the campaign: https://www.chronicutiaustralia.org.au/take-action