Did you know…?
Being a woman can seriously affect your health
3 November 2008
Women's Health Concern press statement
Women's Health Concern, the leading women's health charity, has launched its latest appeal for funds and has already raised over £3000.
Its core services – free and confidential telephone health advice and personal email response services, via specialist nurses – are under threat of constriction and through this Appeal the charity aims to raise £25,000.
Their Chief Executive, Patrick Shervington MBE, said "So far we have raised more than 10% of our target. We receive no Government funding and depend heavily on personal donations and corporate support – without which we may have to cut back on our services. These are not only genuinely worthwhile and much needed but exceptionally cost-effective. We reach out to many thousands of women across the country."
Women's Health Concern's Appeal campaign is based around the premise that a significant percentage of women are affected by 'women's problems' – which can impact on their partner, family and their ability to go to work – but many don't seek help mainly because they:
- are too embarrassed
- can't make the time to see their GP
- think their condition is too trivial to bother their doctor with, or
- don't believe that anything can be done about their particular case.
Women often suffer in silence because they don't know that quality medical help is available free of charge at the end of a phone or via email.
Did you know…?
- 1 in 3 women leak urine when they laugh, cough or sneeze 3
- The anxiety caused by incontinence can have severe effects on a woman's social and sexual life – and keeps some women away from work
- Only one third of women with regular incontinence discuss their problem with a health care provider – and most delay seeking help for up to two years
Did you know…?
Did you know…?
To help advise and reassure women, the charity:
- provides a free telephone advice service, staffed by specialist nurses
- offers a confidential, free email advice service provided by medical experts
- is backed by a 22-strong medical advisory panel
- caters for all ages and have been contacted by women aged from 13 to 86 – and some men too
- has over 100,000 visitors per year to their website – accessing factsheets and other useful information
- takes 16% of their calls as referrals from other health professionals and medical organisations
- supports women in the workplace through its Health Advisory Service
- receives no government funding
References
1 Patient UK 2007;
2 BUPA 2007;
3 The Continence Foundation
Donations can be made through the Women's Health Concern website www.womens-health-concern.org or via JustGiving at www.justgiving.co.uk
For further information
Please contact:
Patrick Shervington
Chief executive
Telephone 01628 478 473
Mobile 07974 384 254
Background for editors
Women's Health Concern is the UK's leading charity, offering help and advice to women on a wide variety of gynaecological, sexual health and reproductive issues, promoting knowledge and awareness of specific diseases and medical conditions. Their unique nurse advisory service provides women with unbiased, accurate information to help them understand more about their health problems, allowing them to feel confident about discussing the diagnosis process and treatment options with their doctor. WHC has a panel of 23 healthcare advisers including gynaecologists, endocrinologists, GPs and nurses. They often write for the media and have created a series of factsheets on different women's health issues, downloadable from their website www.womens-health-concern.org They also undertake research and analysis into the current main health concerns of women and how they differ according to age.
