NationalWomensHealthWeek

Photo by Prixel Creative

National Women’s Health Week (NWHW), which begins on Mother’s Day, is an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health according to womenshealth.gov. The week also serves as a time to help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health. Like most designated weeks or days, there is far too much to cover in such a short amount of time and so it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all of the statistics casting an ominous shadow over our futures as women, but here are a few ways to push back the statistics and get involved:

01 | BACK THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES FIGHTING THE RAPE EPIDEMIC
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 women have been raped at some point in their lives. Callisto, a project of Sexual Health Innovations is working to create an online database for confidential reporting of sexual assaults on college campuses. Check out their work and consider donating to help get this up and running.

02 | SKIP THE ‘RACE FOR THE CURE’ THIS YEAR AND VOLUNTEER OR DONATE INSTEAD
Breast Cancer still remains a serious threat to women’s health—the most common cancer in women according to the WHO (World Health Organization). A great organization to donate to, volunteer with, or just get more information from is Breast Cancer Action, created by six breast cancer survivors and committed to “achieving health justice for all women at risk of and living with breast cancer.”

03 | FIGHT #MESTRUPHOBIA
While some women’s health issues tend to take over the media, others are uncomfortable to discuss. In many parts of the world, this goes so far as to prevent young girls from getting the information they need to manage their cycles, making menstruation the number one reason that adolescent girls miss school. Ruby Cup (my favorite ‘one-for-one’ business) is working with partners like Femme International and the Gates Foundation to provide a practical, cost-effective solution directly to schoolgirls in Kenya, as well as, improving reproductive education in the region.

04 | START TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
Research conducted by the WHO shows significant gender disparity in mental health worldwide—especially in the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders. During the month of May, the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) is working to raise awareness for mental health issues across the US through their stigma free campaign. Check out the facts, sign the pledge, and get in contact with your local NAMI chapter to join the movement to end the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness.

05 | TREAT YOURSELF TO THIS POWER ANTHEM
‘I wanna be like my momma, 5 foot 2 and a natural woman…’
Some of that was a little sobering, so to finish this off, buy this song, which has been cheering me up on a daily basis since its release—all proceeds go to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.

FROM THE EDITOR
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