Women’s Health Week 2-6 September
Your Voice – Your Choice
"From the 2-6th September 2024, Women around Australia are encouraged to raise their voices about the many physical and mental challenges we face and often may be too ashamed to raise."
Women’s Health Week was created by the Jean Hailes For Women’s Health, not -for -profit organisation in 2013, in an attempt to provide important resources and information to communities Australia- wide, uniting and reminding women to dedicate time for their health and well-being.
The 2024 theme – Your Voice, Your Choice – is about empowering women to use their voice to advocate for their health and to have various ‘Courageous Conversations’ with others to overcome shame and stigma. As women we often unconsciously neglect ourselves as we lead busy lives working, looking after our families and providing to our communities. We fully advocate for all women to take this time (and more) to look within and focus on topics that may be affecting your well-being, such as hormonal changes, nutrition and trusting your gut, and finding your balance on various parenting challenges.
With the bombardment of different advice, viewpoints and conflicts on what truly matters to a woman, it can become difficult to navigate your own wellness journey – leading to anxiety, confusion and ultimately silence about topics that are essential to you!
We would like to encourage you to take some time out to reflect on what is happening in your life and with your health and commit to ensuring that the person you take care of first is Yourself!
Self-Care is a conscious choice to make time for activities that promote and
maintain your mental and physical well-being!
Some of the topics that will be covered this week include:
- Know Your Body – The importance of health checks and education about various health problems that are rarely spoken about.
- Courageous Conversations – These are tips and tools to help you start a conversation with your health provider about menopause, hormones, PCOS and more.
- Shame and Stigma – This is a time for women to share their stories about topics that may be seen as taboo, but that can save and improve lives such as Bladder problems, STI’s and painful sex.
- Point of Difference – We are all unique and there is no one size fits all. This is an opportunity for women to look at how various health problems have affected them differently, from heart health to pelvic pain. Too often women are dismissed because their symptoms present differently from textbook values, leading to late diagnoses and poor quality of life.
- Trust Your Gut – Women’s nutrition can be a contentious topic with so many viewpoints that are thrown from all over. This covers nutrition basics that we all need and helps to promote a healthy relationship with food. Let’s ditch the fads and get back to basics!
Are you ready to start the timer on putting yourself first?
Let’s go!
Download this fantastic guide to Women’s Health from the Jean Hailes Foundation, that provides information on various health checks, age-appropriate advice on what to look out for, and taking care of your mental wellbeing:
https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/uploads/Your-guide-to-womens-health_TGD.pdf
Connect and have a conversation!
Here are some events happening in the NSW area, where you can join with fellow women, have open conversations and feel free to be you, whilst enjoying the outdoors too!
5 September: Pop into the Shoalhaven Women’s Health Centre and have a chat and a cuppa with fellow women, whilst learning valuable information about support and services they provide.
https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/whw-events/womens-wellbeing-morning
6th September: Get your hearing checked! No matter your age – at the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre. The Women’s Hearing Health Bus will be there to provide information, assist with hearing checks and each woman will get a free showbag.
8th September: Join the Women’s Trail Walk to Steamers Beach in Booderee National Park
https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/whw-events/womens-trail-walk
Get your ‘Girl Gang’ together, no matter what age, and advocate for better Women’s Health and Wellness Awareness this September!
