A dance-loving vicar has revealed how she got her groove back after an “intensely painful” health battle.
Sue Brown and her husband Laurie, both 76, love to dance – the pair have been hitting the dance floor together since they met 57 years ago.
When the retired vicar from Caerphilly began to experience “intense” pain in her lower back and lack of bladder control, she was devastated.
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“I felt sad and disappointed, as dancing was something I really enjoyed doing, It’s something that brings me and my husband closer together, especially in retirement, as it’s a passion we both share.”
Sue and Laurie met while at university and have since gone on to have four children together, including Chris, 50, Paul, 48, Lisa, 46 and Laura, 45.
As a child, Sue had longed to dance but as her parents weren’t able to afford classes, it was something to tick off her bucket list.
After retiring, the couple joined evening ballroom dancing classes at Shapells studio, where they have made lots of friends and re-sparked their connection.
But when Sue’s pain started in 2021, she found it difficult to walk or stand for a lengthy period of time, let alone dance.
Desperate not to give up her passion, Sue sought help from her local GP but struggled to get a follow-up appointment.
Tired of waiting, she decided to take matters into her own hands and researched other healthcare options.
That’s when she discovered Infiniti Healthcare in Cardiff – a private pelvic health, menopause and wellbeing clinic founded in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Kiron and Nadia Bhal.
The mum felt the duo were much more sympathetic towards her problem.
In October 2023 , Sue had a pessary inserted – a removable device that supports pelvic organs from prolapse – and felt “instant relief”.
Sue said: “I missed the joy grooving brought me and I decided enough was enough.
“When I visited Dr Nadia at Infiniti Healthcare, she made me feel so comfortable and relaxed.
“It’s not an easy subject, pain or bladder leakage but one she fixed with ease.
“I was able to return to dancing straight away, which was wonderful. Now I can dance without worrying about any physical issues.
“I don’t think I realised how much it was affecting me until I got better.
“Then my energy came back and I was able to do the things I loved once again.
“When you’re in pain all the time, it’s draining – but now I’ve got my life back. It’s brought back the feeling of joy and uplift that dancing gives me.”
Nadia and Kiron say they are passionate about pelvic health and know just how much it can impact on women’s overall health and quality of life.
“It’s so important to listen to women and learn what is important to them, to come up with minimally invasive solutions that allow women to get back to full health,”said co-founder Nadia.
“Vaginal ring pessaries are underutilised in practice but can be so effective at helping relieve symptoms and giving women their lives back.”
Infiniti Healthcare launched a video captioning the special moment when Sue returned to dancing following her treatment, sharing her story on Instagram as part of their Tuesdaytales series.
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