Your Health Equity Matters with Natalie Benamou, Founder HerCsuite

HerCsuite™ Radio - For Women Leaders On The Move

Every Woman Has a Healthcare Story

Have you ever had a situation where your voice was ignored, and a negative health outcome resulted? 100% of women I have talked to say 'yes...and let me tell you a story'. Usually, when I ask this question there is an expression and laugh. Universally, women all respond the same way.

Take a story like Laura's. I met Laura if you can imagine, trying to solve my own health issue. I was in terrible pain. Doctors were telling me it was all "part of menopause and in a few years I would be through it". I looked for alternative therapies and tried cryotherapy, a freezing technique to dull the incredible pain I had. That is where I met Laura. In my Midwest friendly usual way, we got to talking and I asked her if she had ever experienced a doctor not listening to her.

Her story is so incredible. And yet...it is not. You see, there are stories like Laura's out there and women aren't sharing, don't know what to do and are having negative outcomes. Even death.

Laura was having terrible pain in her abdomen. She went to the doctor who told her she was depressed. She expressed that no, she wasn't depressed, she was in severe pain. The doctor discounted her. Wanted to prescribe anti-depressants and send her on her way. The pain continued until it got so bad, Laura went to a friend who was a general surgeon. She told him she needed to fix whatever was happening and it resulted in surgery.

The outcome? Laura had a hernia that passed through a hole and destroyed 85% of her esophagus was lost. She cannot eat like a normal person. Her quality life was changed forever because she was dismissed. Worse the outcome could have been fatal. I am happy to say I recently saw Laura again and she continues to be a positive person, looking for ways to take care of herself with yoga.

The reality is women have complex health needs beyond going to an OBGYN and there are not screenings for things like lung cancer and other diseases. Our health is put into a category, often times we are told we are depressed, or imagining the illness.

What happens to the millions of women who don't know how to navigate the system, who need healthcare and aren't able to qualify for clinical trials or other treatments?

We can do better. We must do better.

You may be thinking of a situation about yourself or as a caregiver when you needed care, and it didn't happen. The burden of care might be falling on your shoulders, and you have pushed your own health needs to the aside. Perhaps you have an aging parent who has dementia or Alzheimer’s, or young children who need your focus. Whatever your situation, your health matters.

It can be difficult to find support and a community who will lift you up.

Have you had something similar happen to you or a loved one? I can say that my career of working in healthcare helped me to know a lot about a lot of things. As a determined mother and advocate I will not stop until my daughter is back to a thriving young woman.

In a recent discussion with Dr. Nicole T. Rochester, I shared how I started "dressing up" to go to the doctor’s offices as if I was in a business meeting, so that my daughter's health would be taken seriously.

What happens to the millions of women who don't know how to navigate the system, who need healthcare and aren't able to qualify for clinical trials or other treatments?

We can do better. We must do better.

You may be thinking of a situation about yourself or as a caregiver when you needed care, and it didn't happen. The burden of care might be falling on your shoulders, and you have pushed your own health needs to the aside.

Join us May 1st, find out how you can become part of our movement for Women's Health Equity: https://evt.to/aohaoouiw

This podcast is sponsored by HerCsuite™ Leadership Development Programs. You can gain a competitive advantage by a quick scheduling a call tolearn mor

HerCsuite™ Natalie Benamou find her on HerCsuite™, LinkedIn, and HerPower2 LinkedIn