Women's Health Week: Concluding Thoughts

Women’s Health Week 2013 took place from March 11^th to 15^th at CCNM (my school). During that period, women’s health took the focus, through a variety of events. The loose theme this year was to address the more controversial aspects of women’s health, such as natural birth, body image, alternative menstruation management, abandoning fad-diets, and the glamourization of our health concerns.

On Monday, the Canadian documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc, was shown. This film critiqued pink ribbons movement, discussed pink washing, and featured women with breast cancer who don’t appreciate their disease being turned into something that is ‘pretty, pink, and perky’.

On Wednesday, at the Moms’ Panel, six CCNM students shared their birth experiences and gave advice to the future moms and health care practionners (who will be caring for new moms) in the audience. DivaCups were also handed out. Thank you to DivaCup for donating! 

Finally, on Thursday, Meghan Telpner, Nutritionista, gave us ten simple steps to share with patients to improve overall health. Immediately after her talk, members of the CCNM family shared their body monologues at the first ever BMcompanion event. It was full of both tear-jerking and laugh-out-loud moments. If you missed it, you can hear more body monologues at the downtown Toronto, April 11^th show. Learn more about this show here. 

A big shout-out to the volunteers that helped with WHW and to all who attended the events. Thanks!

This board featuring women's health research was displayed in the school lobby all week long.