UNSILENCED
VOICES
The Unsilenced Movement wouldn't exist today without the courageous voices of former VCUG patients. We're so grateful to our community for making their voices heard and demanding change for future generations of children.
The following testimonies were submitted by former pediatric patients who underwent one or more VCUG tests in childhood. Thank you all for your brave contributions!
Ready to share your VCUG story?
We'd love to hear from you.
Anonymous submissions are always welcome. Either fill out the form below or email your story to theunsilencedmovement@gmail.com with the subject line "VCUG Survivor Story" to see it featured on our website. ​​​​​​​​​Not sure where to start? Check out our Guided Response Form to reclaim your narrative and join other #UnsilencedVoices on the road to healing from VCUG trauma.
Why VCUG Reform Is Urgent & Overdue
"I had this done every year until I was 8. The last time the doctor left halfway through…I laid there in pain with the catheter halfway in for an hour and a half…never again."
"Had a VCUG when I was 4. Everything about that day is still so vivid in my mind. I remember the catheter they were trying to use was too big. Instead of getting a smaller one, I was held down, screaming and thrashing in pain while they continued to force it. Was told I needed to stop screaming and that if I stopped moving, it would be over sooner. I am still terrified of hospitals."
“I have literally never met another person who had a VCUG. So I wasn’t the only child to literally scream bloody murder and need to be held down by grown men?”
"I was 11 when I had [a VCUG]. They wouldn’t let my mom in and I had 4 people holding me down. My mom said she heard me screaming down the hall and they finally let her come in."
"I’m so glad I came across [Unsilenced]. So many people have gaslit me about my child’s trauma with medical procedures. I can see the effects though, so many years later. No one else believes me."
"I’m 40 and still dealing with the physical and mental side effects of [VCUG]. It’s painful and horrifying."
"I don’t have the memory, but my body does. I had no idea other people were traumatized by this, too. It’s a living nightmare."
"I am soon to turn 54. Fifty years of VCUG trauma. To this day, I live with debilitating PTSD, and significant psychological barriers to accessing healthcare. VCUG trauma nearly cost me my life. It has had a profoundly detrimental impact on my life for half a century."
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING
This content includes graphic descriptions of the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) procedure that may be triggering for former patients. Please read with care.
