NorthShore, an incontinence products company, is hosting a two-day event in Chicago on July 18-19 designed to demonstrate that people managing heavy bladder leakage can fully participate in typical social activities with the right products.
The event, called "NorthShore's Day Out," includes architecture river cruises, Cubs games at Wrigley Field, warehouse tours and product demonstrations. Unlike typical corporate marketing events, the company frames the gathering as a proof-of-concept for a different approach to corporate responsibility.
"The real product isn't the diaper itself," founder Adam Greenberg has said. "It's participation. It's the ability to say yes to experiences without mapping bathroom locations or canceling plans. It's dignity."
NorthShore, founded in 2002, identified what Greenberg saw as a market gap: mainstream consumer healthcare had largely ignored the needs of millions of people with heavy bladder leaks. The company has since built its business around serving this population.
Heavy bladder leakage affects roughly 25 million American adults, yet remains one of the most socially isolated health conditions in the country. People living with the condition often restructure their entire lives around bathroom access, declining social invitations, avoiding travel and withdrawing from work and community participation.
The two-day format is designed strategically. Day one immerses attendees in typical "freedom" activities such as cultural experiences and entertainment. Day two includes company tours and product education, positioning NorthShore as a partner in expanding possibilities rather than simply as a vendor.
NorthShore's "Hero Club" comprises customers and caregivers willing to share their stories publicly, working to dismantle the shame and isolation surrounding incontinence in American culture.
However, the company event has limitations in addressing broader systemic issues. Heavy bladder leakage remains undertreated in American healthcare, with many people unaware of available options or unable to afford high-performance products. A comprehensive solution would require better medical screening and referral protocols, insurance coverage parity, public health campaigns and workplace accommodations.
NorthShore is extending its message beyond Chicago through its "Say Yes Summer" campaign, sponsoring the North Shore RunFest 5K/8K in Salem, Massachusetts on August 30. The choice to promote athletic participation underscores that incontinence does not disqualify people from physical activity or community engagement.
