Political Football

Word of the month? Breast. Countless people have tweeted, texted, emailed, and posted it. I am among them. I’m hoping the word will translate to more of us learning the importance of breast health, to our making and keeping those mammography appointments, and that all women will one day be able to access critically needed screening and treatment services regardless of their ability to pay. The Komen Foundation’s decision and follow-up reversal just mega-kicked the women’s health political football pretty much out of the stadium. Sorry Madonna, but no half-time Super Bowl show can beat this drama.

Also in the spotlight: Planned Parenthood. Their announced plan for the donations that poured in as a result of the controversy: breast cancer screening and related services, of course. Who can argue with supporting programs designed around breast health and cancer prevention/intervention? No one-- which is why it's easier to limit the public conversation to the word of the month. Clearly, there are just more body parts here than meet the reader’s eye. This is about women’s health, women’s reproductive rights and yes, a woman’s right to choose. Many in my generation coveted their copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves, which is now out in a 2011 edition. Maybe it needs to be assigned reading. For the Nation.

Last week Professor Nathalie Bartle and our school’s Maternal and Child Health Working Group arranged and hosted a panel of 10 brilliant individuals who shared their perspectives on the work they do and why they do it.   Community-based organizations, physicians, researchers, senior students, governmental health workers and more. The room was packed with interested students and it was wonderful to greet them and then take in the varied presentations and interaction. The Life-Course approach to women’s health is still new but it’s increasingly clear that our health is tightly entwined with the health and well-being of our children throughout our lives.

Our lives. Our bodies. Our health. Our choice. Touchdown!