History
After giving birth to her first child in 1999, Missy Lavender could no longer laugh, sneeze or lift her baby without leaking. Additionally, it became extremely difficult to hold her bladder before making it to the bathroom. Her problems, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge incontinence (UI), affect millions of women, yet it came as a surprise to her. After undergoing a series of treatments by various specialists, including surgery for a prolapsed bladder and uterus, she finally found relief for the majority of her symptoms and took back control over her life.
Missy’s struggle made her realize there were many grey areas surrounding UI and overall pelvic health. She felt the embarrassment of the issue left the public in the dark and she saw there were limited resources for women like her. In 2004, Missy founded Women’s Health Foundation (WHF) to have the sisterhood of silence become a sisterhood of by strength, connecting, educating and empowering women who struggle with pelvic health issues. The foundation is rapidly becoming the nation’s most visible and passionate champion of women’s pelvic wellness issues.
“Women’s Health Foundation is driven by the belief that women have a fundamental right to live without shame and limitations,” Missy says. “The more resources we can provide and the more knowledgeable women become, the better chances they will have for optimal pelvic health, which means better mobility, higher self esteem and ultimately better sex lives.”
To encourage women to proactively manage their pelvic wellness, the foundation provides life strategies, events and activities to help women achieve pelvic health and wellness.
WHF is proud to now be serving as a national resource on pelvic wellness issues and bringing communities of women together on important health discussions.
