The last century has witnessed transformative advancements in healthcare, and at the forefront of these remarkable changes are the contributions of women. From groundbreaking discoveries and medical breakthroughs to leadership roles and advocacy efforts, women have played pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of healthcare. In this blog post, we celebrate and reflect on the extraordinary achievements of women in healthcare over the past 100 years.
Medical Research and Discoveries:
Women researchers have been instrumental in unraveling the mysteries of diseases and pioneering groundbreaking discoveries. Notable figures like Marie Curie, who won Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry, paved the way for women in scientific research. In recent decades, women scientists have contributed significantly to fields such as genetics, immunology, and neuroscience, advancing our understanding of various medical conditions and laying the foundation for innovative treatments.
Nursing and Patient Care:
The nursing profession, historically dominated by women, has seen significant advancements in the last century. Women nurses have not only provided compassionate care at the frontline but have also played key roles in healthcare leadership and policy-making. Their dedication to patient well-being has been a driving force in shaping modern nursing practices and elevating the quality of patient care.
Women in Medicine:
Over the past century, more women have entered and excelled in medical professions, challenging gender norms and contributing to advancements in various specialties. Notable achievements include the first woman to receive a medical degree, Elizabeth Blackwell, and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Gerty Cori. Today, women physicians and surgeons continue to break barriers, making significant strides in diverse medical fields.
Leadership Roles in Healthcare:
Women have increasingly taken on leadership roles in healthcare organizations, research institutions, and governmental bodies. From serving as hospital administrators to leading pharmaceutical companies, women leaders bring diverse perspectives, innovative approaches, and a commitment to patient-centric care. Their influence has been instrumental in shaping healthcare policies, fostering inclusivity, and advancing organizational effectiveness.
Advocacy for Women's Health:
The last century has seen a surge in advocacy efforts focused on women's health issues. Women's health movements have addressed topics ranging from reproductive rights to gender-specific research, leading to increased awareness, improved healthcare policies, and enhanced access to comprehensive healthcare for women globally. Advocates like Margaret Sanger and contemporary leaders continue to drive conversations and policy changes to prioritize women's health.
Global Health Initiatives:
Women have been at the forefront of global health initiatives, working to address healthcare disparities, improve maternal and child health, and combat infectious diseases. Organizations led by women, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have played pivotal roles in driving large-scale efforts to improve healthcare access and outcomes on a global scale.
As we reflect on the achievements of women in healthcare over the last 100 years, it is evident that their contributions have been instrumental in shaping the present and future of the industry. From scientific breakthroughs to compassionate patient care, women have played diverse and vital roles, leaving an indelible mark on the progress of healthcare. As we celebrate these accomplishments, let us continue to champion gender equality in healthcare and work towards a future where women's contributions are fully recognized and valued.
Written by
SaskiaHU
HealthUnlocked
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Could list many more but your post is an excellent read . My issue is getting the treatment quickly and I don’t think that is a gender issue nor can we not acknowledge the sheer brilliance of these pioneers who achieved without the modern communication and the role models that have evolved and developed over the years . I hope their efforts and dedication isn’t in vain as we all join waiting lists still on increasing doses of medication with fear of the unknown as our life
plans are on hold . Can we celebrate progress if progression continues to decline for patients . We are at the mercy of global pharmaceutical giants to fund projects as many drugs developed even in my lifetime wouldn’t have passed more stringent testing and protocols. It now costs insane amounts of money as we work with complex bureaucracy and safe guarding. Some of the best medicines were invented on a shoe string but the practices now are different with money and power playing a key role. For the better is another discussion?
So proud of all the woman who make such a positive impact in this world! I am so glad my daughter gets to grow up and see such amazing women! Such a blessing!
It’s all nice to read but in Canada, female doctors are brushing off people in severe pain and they are committing fraud in their consult notes. They are NOT following the ‘Standard of Care’ and they’re getting away with disabling innocent women. They cover up Iatrogenic injuries and post op injuries. It’s awful the number of people becoming disabled from negligence. I just had to be honest.
Same problem in London England. I have been in hospital on several occasions and there is neglect all the time . Family have been dismissed, one had sepsis and sent home and told he could go on holiday,he was just going to board an aeroplane when he got urgent call to go back. Another had a heart attack and sat waiting to be seen for 3 hours.
I don't usually follow alot of the international days for this or that, BUT I definitely think International Women's Day is important to address, not just internationally with the abhorrent way women (and young girls), are treated in some countries, but also how some women are still treated domestically, such as via domestic abuse, etc., and how things like period poverty need to be further addressed, if they are ever to be eradicated.
As a heterosexual man in his early 40s, I can thank my Parents for bringing me up to have a healthy and very equal view of women.
I'm Scottish (VERY MUCH British though), but my Maternal Great Gran, Catherine Esther MacPherson (nee Day), was a Cockney, being born within the range of the Bow bells. She was well known in Letchworth, where she eventually lived, as she cycled everywhere, right up to her late 80s. She was very much in to the woman's suffrage movement, as she was in her early 20s at that time. She didn't go along with the extremist fringe, she was more a case of 'You think a woman can't do that? I'll show you!', sleeves rolled up, getting stuck right in sort of person. She fought the good fight, but didn't complain, as she could prove women should have equality with men. My Great Grandad (affectionately known as Jock), went along with her, as he agreed with her views and didn't really have much choice! She was an ardent admirer of Amelia Earhart, Millicent Fawcett and Margaret Sanger, to name but three.
What I love about her is she really demonstrated a woman could be caring, kind, feminine, but still be strong and taken seriously back in such a male dominated world.
She and her Scottish husband John, went to Canada right after the First World War, ran out of money and spent over a year hoboing around on vacant train cargo carriages. Stopping at various destinations for a while, taking menial jobs and then moving on.
Back home she worked as a proof reader, an accountant, an ambulance driver and as the Personal War Secretary to General Haig. She sat in (screened off behind a curtain) on meetings of the war cabinet and international allied leaders' from various countries discussing strategies, etc. She took the minutes of the meetings. She HATED General Haig, because he was exceptionally misogynistic, not just to her, but not only that, he used to laugh about and boast about how many men he'd sent to their deaths each day. Her husband was away fighting in that war and was afflicted with shell shock as a result, for the rest of his life, where he would shout out the window at night, reliving nightmares from the trenches, or hide under the kitchen table if he heard a loud noise.
When World War 2 happened, that's when she drove an ambulance in and out with London. She did all she could to help out, like most people did.
I only met her a couple of times when I was very small, as she lived in Letchworth and my Parents and I in Glasgow. She had a huge impact on my Mum and her Sister and their love of England - where my Aunt has lived in the majority of her life.
The last time I met her, she had developed Alzheimer's and was acting like a little girl. My Mum was in tears and all I remember is she kept giving me the Maltesers we had brought for her, so I liked her for that. She died not long after that. She was such an intelligent woman and for my Mum to see her heroine reduced to the mind of a child, was heartbreaking.
Incidentally, she had 2 sons, my Grandfather and his Brother (who was originally a twin, but the twin was stillborn). My Grandfather, whom I never met, but who died only a few years ago, was a violent alcoholic with severe mental health issues. He used to beat my Gran and drag my Mum and her Sister down the stairs, from their beds, to watch. I've never understood how the son of such an incredible and remarkable woman, could be that way to the women in his life. All I can think is he felt like a failure because he couldn't meet her high expectations and he was sent to Convent school (despite not being Catholic) in Hertfordshire where we suspect he may have been abused. My Mum and her sister went to stay with their Gran for the entire summer each year, to escape the abuse at home.
Anyways, my apologies for the hugely long post, but I just wanted to make a contribution and celebrate a woman who inspires me and who indirectly shaped me as the man I am today. I try every day to make her proud by being polite and courteous to women (holding doors open), but also respectful and helpful to anyone I come across, regardless of who they are.
My take on it all is womanhood and femininity is in itself a strength. I strongly believe that we need only look at the natural world to see female power - elephants, lionesses, bears, right through to sparrows, starlings and blackbirds, to see both female power in action and, with the latter three, how sexual equality has always been around and is intrinsic in (Mother) Nature itself.
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