Our first Women’s Health Taskforce meeting

On Monday 28 October, we held our inaugural Women’s Health Taskforce meeting, marking a significant step towards addressing the unique health challenges faced by women with spinal cord injuries.

The meeting brought together a diverse group of professionals, women with lived experiences, six members of parliament, and representatives from the House of Lords. The event was chaired by Gill Furniss MP, who facilitated a series of impactful discussions.

The heart of the meeting was the testimonies from women who have navigated the complexities of pregnancy and cancer with spinal cord injuries. Their stories highlighted the critical gaps in expert care and access to essential health services. One poignant account detailed the struggle to access mammogram machines, resulting in a delayed breast cancer diagnosis that could have been detected a year earlier.

We discussed a ground-breaking project aimed at creating a robotic machine to assist in positioning women for mammograms. This innovation, still in its early stages, promises to revolutionise accessibility for women with spinal injuries. However, the project requires additional funding to progress, and we are working with the project to help secure this.

Going forward

The meeting concluded with a consensus to assist MPs in drafting questions for the health minister. These questions aim to gather crucial data that will inform future discussions and actions. The taskforce is planning a roundtable event in February next year, where they hope to make significant strides towards resolving these pressing issues.

Our Women’s Health Taskforce meeting was a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusive healthcare solutions. By amplifying the voices of women with spinal cord injuries and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, SIA is paving the way for meaningful change.