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Women's Health Project
Endometriosis sufferers got an apology. What next?
Back in 2017, Health Minister Greg Hunt issued a rare apology to Australian women.
He directed it towards the one in ten who suffer from endometriosis, noting that the condition should have been acknowledged at an earlier time. In a much more powerful way.
His apology came on behalf of all those in parliament and from the medical system.
The apology, during an Endo Active event in Canberra, featuring a number of different advocacy groups and “Endo Warriors" in the room, marked a major turning point for those who suffer from endometriosis in Australia.
Because previously, endometriosis had gone largely ignored or overlooked.
On this week’s Women’s Health Project, we’re exploring endometriosis in Australia: how far we’ve come, and the very long way we have to go.
It takes an average six and a half years for someone to be diagnosed with endometriosis. And even that is an improvement: that figure is down from an average seven to 12 years a decade ago.
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10. The contraception chat
21:19||Season 1, Ep. 10Six decades since the pill changed everything, there's still work to do on making contraception accessible and affordable. How far have we come in terms of innovation, affordability, and ensuring we can access the best methods possible? We explore all this and more, on the latest episode of the Women's Health Project, our special podcast series examining where women's health has been sidelined, and what's being done -- or could be done -- to fill the gaps. The Women's Health Project is produced by Agenda Media, publisher of Women's Agenda. It's editorially independent, but make possible thanks to the support of Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical dedicated to women. Check out our other podcasts, the Women's Agenda Podcast and The Leadership Lessons.9. Leave no woman behind
24:32||Season 1, Ep. 9How do we ensure quality healthcare is delivered for all women in Australia, across all backgrounds, regions and contexts? An intersectional approach, rather than one that benefits only certain groups?We've seen and heard about some of the gender gaps in healthcare, but the gaps between different communities and groups of women can be far wider. In this episode, we touch on some of these gaps: including the gaps in between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Australia, as well as the added hurdles and gaps faced by women with disabilities, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as refugee and asylum seeker women. These gaps are often known, but they're rarely addressed sufficiently. So what would a truly inclusive healthcare system look like? We explore all this and more in this episode of the podcast. The Women’s Health Project is an editorially independent special podcast series created by Women’s Agenda and supported by Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman. Our Women's Agenda podcasts are produced by Agenda Media, the 100% female-owned and run publisher behind Women's Agenda. You can check out our other podcasts, The Leadership Lessons and The Women's Agenda Podcast.8. The female entrepreneurs transforming women's health
17:40||Season 1, Ep. 8As the Women's Health Project returns this week, we look at the massive push by women to change the business of women's health, including how care is delivered. We look at how investors, inventors and others have failed to consider women's health for so long, and why the past few years especially have been seing the numbers shifting, the business community racing to catch up. With women contributing to discuss raising capital, inventing, digital health, FemTech, new models of care delivery and more, we look at how determination and grit will further transform the women's health space. The Women’s Health Project is produced by Agenda Media, publisher of Women’s Agenda. This project is editorially independent but made possible thanks to the support of Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman.7. The evolving expectations of fitness and exercise
24:06||Season 1, Ep. 7How much exercise should you do? How fit should you be? What type of movements should you be focusing on? That will depend on who you talk to. Or rather who is talking to you, at any point of the day.On TV, in the media, and 24/7 on social media, via the influencers and fitfluencers sharing what’s become an ideal version of arms, legs, abs and buts. Every day, we’re exposed to a version of what it means to be fit as a woman. To some extent, it can be inspiring and motivating. But to another extent, actually harmful and even toxic. In this episode, we look at how pressures on women to achieve certain aesthetics have evolved over time, and have now hit news levels on social media. Especially through Instagram. With special guests including Dr Nikki Stamp, as well as psychologists and researchers, we ask: how did "women's health" become so intrinsically linked with aesthetics? The Women’s Health Project is a special podcast series created by Women’s Agenda and supported by Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman.6. Just squeeze? The pelvic floor mystery
23:53||Season 1, Ep. 6Pelvic floor! How does this all-important group of muscles remain such a mystery to women and girls, despite the role it serves in supporting everything from exercising to enjoying pleasurable sex, preventing bladder leaks and prolapse? Today, we're talking about it. With the help of some pelvic physios, women who've dedicated their lives and careers to learning everything possible about this aspect of our anatomy and supporting women and girls and anyone experiencing pelvic dysfunction or pain due to injury, childbirth, endometriosis or something else.We look at what women receive internationally to support pelvic health -- including up to 20 free pelvic physio sessions post birth in France. And we ask HOW is it that strengthening these muscles continues to go ignored, despite so many other fitness and exercise pressures placed on women. Particularly when it comes to social and media expectations of the "post baby body". This is the latest installment of The Women's Health Project, examining the areas of women's health that have been sidelined, ignored and underfunded for too long. Alongside the positive developments occurring that are addressing these health issues, and will ultimately support a better story and future for everyone. The Women's Health Project is hosted by Angela Priestley, produced by Allison Ho and published by Agenda Media, also the publisher of Women's Agenda. It's made possible thanks to the support of Organon.4. Eliminate Cervical Cancer? How this target became reality
17:36||Season 1, Ep. 4There is one area of women's health that's shaped a little different to others. Where significant progress has been made in recent history. That area is cervical cancer. It's the first and only cancer the World Health Organisation has set targets on eliminating, and one where recent developments in the days leading up to recording this podcast could put us on track to make it happen. So why has there been so much success in targeting this area? But then why have some groups of women been left behind? And how can we leverage the leadership needed to now make worldwide elimination possible?This is Episode 4 of the Women's Health Project, where we're investigating how and where women's health has been overlooked, as well as some of the innovations, research, and advocacy occurring that we can feel optimistic about.Today, with the help of one of Australia's pre-eminent women's health experts, Professor Marion Saville AO, we examine how progress has been made on cervical cancer. The Women's Health Project is hosted by Angela Priestley, produced by Allison Ho and the wider team at Agenda Media, the publisher of Women's Agenda. The project is editorially independent but made possible thanks to Organon.3. The hushed but not-so secret world of menopause
18:47||Season 1, Ep. 3How did something that 51% of the population have or will experience become a “secret world”? On this episode, we’re talking about Menopause. And of course, it’s not a secret world. It’s actually THE world. But for some reason, it’s not so frequently discussed. Our goal is to ask why, and to play a part in changing all of that: so that those experiencing menopause can get the support they need from their families, their employers and the wider community. Because while this is an area of women's health that doesn't necessarily lack treatment options, it can lack sensitivity. Sensitivity that sees women again feeling sidelined, dismissed and ignored. The Women's Health Project is a special podcast series created by Women’s Agenda and supported by Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman. We're exploring a number of different women's health areas throughout the course of this project, investing how and where women's health has been overlooked as well as some of the innovations, research and advocacy occurring that we can feel optimistic about. Thank you to our special guests today, including Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Katie Harris and Dr Julia Menzies. The Women's Health Project is hosted by Angela Priestley, produced by Allison Ho and the wider team at Agenda Media, the publisher of Women's Agenda. The project is editorially independent but made possible thanks to Organon.2. The 'Norm Load' on women's health
22:25||Season 1, Ep. 2Major health campaigns all over the world have urged women to take responsibility for getting men off the couch, but then failed to address the health needs of women.We're calling this the "Norm Load" and it may have just shaped more about our understanding of women's health than we realise.Indeed, while heart disease and dementia are the two leading causes of death in Australia -- we often think of other things when thinking of "women's health".And we may often think "men" when even thinking about heart disease/Host Angela Priestley explores the issues with special guests including Professor Cassandra Szoeke, who has just published Secrets of Healthy Ageing, based on 30 years of research at the Univesity of Melbourne.This podcast is independently created by Women’s Agenda and proudly sponsored by Organon, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman. Women's Agenda is published by Agenda Media, a 100% female-owned and run media company.