The Barrier I Didn’t Plan For: Women’s Health and Entrepreneurship
Sometimes, the systemic gender bias in health becomes her biggest barrier. This Women's Day, I want to talk about the impacts of the lack of funding into women's health and her passion to do what she wants, how she wants to, at the speed she wants.
Because as you might now, this past month I ended up in hospital for myocarditis - and then had a hypertensive event, and now navigating the aftermath.
I was exhausted all of January I chalked it up to extra work, because our sales were up 20-30% over the previous year. It was a crazy busy January, for a month that is usually chill. But, I was probably in hypertension and burning out my body. I did go to the hospital once thinking I was having a heart attack, but it was acid reflux - inspired by Hpylori.
But, now that my blood pressure is lower, after spending a few weeks testing and trying different combos - I’m not collapsing on the floor for a mid day rest, and I don’t feel like I’m physically in a state of flight. I'm actually doing really well, and things are really feeling good - we still need to tackle the underlying cause, and do some other work, but the day to day has gotten much much easier for me.
In preparing to share this today, I did a little research and it's kind of wild. In BC, the Women’s Health Foundation reports 3 in 5 mature women felt dismissed by their symptoms and 1 in 3 young women struggled to access health care. We will also spend 24% more of our life navigating poor health and disabiltiy than our male peers. Which is wild. Like - of course we are falling behind and struggling.
When it takes longer to get a diagnosis, and you’re more likely to experience adverse reactions to medicine —- it’s hard to work on your business and not just in it.I could be figuring out how access federal business supports, trying to find a business coach — but I’m currently trying to learn about heart disease and what current best practices for managing hypertension in women under 40.'
Interestingly - the research into menopause and women’s careers is beginning to unfold. Which feels like this punch in the gut - after sacrificing so much to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and raise a family - menopause is going to sneak in be like “hey girl hey”
Which as a woman who has spent most of her life figuring out how to live and treat PMDD is emotionally exhausting, but also fascinating.
Anyways, just when you thought building up the courage to ask for capital in a low growth sector was your biggest barrier - next you are spending 24% more of your life navigating health and disability. While everyone else is wondering why you haven’t tapped into a grant or a loan program.
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