by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
Last month, I was thrilled to learn that the legendary women’s health collective ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves‘ in Boston had named me one of their 2009 ‘Women’s Health Heroes’ – one of 20 inductees honoured from seven countries, each of us involved in some form of community activism to promote women’s health.
My own efforts (helping to raise women’s awareness of heart disease – our #1 killer – through public presentations and through Heart Sisters, the website you’re now visiting) seem to pale in comparison to the stellar accomplishments of the other 19 Women’s Health Heroes for 2009.
Let’s meet them here:
(alphabetical order)
1. Dr. Elisabeth Bing, co-founder, Lamaze Childbirth Preparation Method
2. Marlies Bosch, women’s health issues photojournalist (Netherlands)
3. Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries and Invisible Illness Week
4. Heather Corinna, founder & editor, www.scarleteen.com
5. Susan Corrado, Community Parish nurse (Wisconsin)
6. Efua Dorkenoo, founder of FORWARD (UK)
7. Fair Haven Midwifery Group (Connecticut)
8. Sheila Fawbush, nutrition and fitness advocate (Kentucky)
9. Stephanie Herold, student activist and reproductive options counsellor
10. Dr. Cheryl Holder, adolescent medicine and HIV/AIDS specialist, Florida
11. Dr. Barbara Keddy, professor emerita, Dalhousie University, women’s fibromyalgia activist/educator (Halifax, Canada)
12. Helene Lefevre-Cholay, chief, Maternal and Infant Health Project (Ukraine)
13. Jessica LeRoy, therapist specializing in helping women (California)
14. Dr. Bene E. Madunagu, activist, professor, University of Calaba, Girls Power Initiative (Nigeria)
15. Sabrina Matoff-Stepp, director, HRSA Office of Women’s Health (Maryland)
16. Kath Mazzella, founder, GAIN (Gynaecological Awareness Information Network, Australia)
17. Jenni Prokopy, founder and editor, Chronic Babe, Illinois
18. Nurit Shein, executive director, Mazzoni Center, Pennsylvania
19. Carolyn Thomas, heart health advocate, Heart Sisters (Victoria, Canada)
20. Jessica Yee, founder and director, Native Youth Sexual Health Network (Toronto, Canada)
Our Bodies Ourselves, also known as the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, is a nonprofit, public interest women’s health education, advocacy, and consulting organization. Beginning in 1970 with the publication of the first edition of their landmark book, ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves’, this organization has inspired and mentored the women’s health movement.
Find out more about Our Bodies, Ourselves.
Heart Sisters 