Stories from the 'First Person Health' workshop

Personal narratives of health crises reveal the profound physical and emotional impact of illness and loss on women's lives. Patsy Day recounts the experience of an unexplained stillbirth, highlighting the critical lack of research funding for maternal health and the systemic failures that leave families without answers. Leah Wittenberg details her survival of a life-threatening abdominal perforation caused by an undiagnosed stomach ulcer, illustrating the harrowing journey of emergency surgery and the subsequent shift in personal identity and priorities during recovery. These stories demonstrate how the act of sharing visceral health experiences serves as a vital tool for processing trauma, finding peace, and advocating for better systemic support in healthcare. By centering these individual voices, the discussion emphasizes the necessity of political will and increased resources to address the persistent gaps in women's health outcomes.