2018 Women's Health & Advocacy Conference: Highlights

Photos & Videos • New Policy Statements • Women's Health Empowerment Summit • Celebration 2018

Hundreds of Hadassah members, supporters and leaders came together during National Women's Health Week for three powerful days in Washington, DC, united by their commitment to empowering women, to Israel, to health and women's health equity -- and to advocacy. An inspiring expression of The Power of Women Who DO, attendees turned their passion to action, earned Hadassah a brief mention in POLITICO Influence, made #HealthEquity4Her trend on Twitter in the DC area, and had fun celebrating Israel's 70th and the centennials of the Hadassah Medical Organization and the Henrietta Szold Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing.

The conference kicked off with a warm welcome from Celebration 2018 Co-Chairs Frieda Rosenberg and Rhoda Smolow, and a thought-provoking panel, "Privacy & Information: Women's Health and Technology" at the National Press Club, with moderator Judy Woodruff of PBS Newshour, and panelists Rear Admiral Susan J. Blumenthal, Laura Moy, Tim Sparapani and Marcy Wilder.

The Coalition for Women's Health Equity — and Hadassah — presented the 2nd annual Women's Health Empowerment Summit, with Keynote Speaker Fatima Goss Graves, CEO and President of the National Women's Law Center, and legislative keynote speaker and physician Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36), who spoke of the importance of coming together to combat the severe inequities women face. Patient advocates Kathryn Fox and Starr Mirza moved many to tears with their personal stories of how gender discrimination in medicine impacts our lives in deeply personal ways. "Women are refusing to stay silent about misdiagnoses, the disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities, and the lasting scars of harassment and assault," said Hadassah National President Ellen Hershkin.

Panels featured discussions on the health impact of caregiving on women with moderator Jill Lesser, gender bias and mental health, and women and clinical trials, with moderator Fran Hawthorne.

Women's health advocates are moving the dial on women's health, said Hadassah Executive Director/CEO Janice Weinman. "We will make 2018 a year of success and progress for women everywhere."

The focus switched to Israel during the Chai-Tea event. "Thank you for everything you have done for the last century. My wish is that Hadassah will make as big a contribution in the next century as they did in the last," said Ron Dermer, Israeli Ambassador to the United States,, who was made an Associate by Associates President Jim Rotenberg and Vice President Louis Numkin. Then Ruth Radiano, Director of Nursing at Hadassah Mt. Scopus, shared some of her personal experiences building Hadassah's reputation as a leader in nursing, a follow up to "Nurses as Advocates: A Symposium," presented earlier by the Hadassah Nurses Council.

"We honor two nurses who mean so much to Hadassah and have done so much for the nursing profession in the US and Israel, Passion to Action Honorees Dr. Barbara Heller and Nancy Falchuk," said Hadassah National President Ellen Hershkin at the Touch of Red Gala, addressing an audience dressed in red, to honor Hadassah. Earlier that evening, Director General Zeev Rotstein of the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO), wearing a red tie, talked about ensuring HMO's position as a global leader in medicine.

Broadway actress and singer Megan Hilty — star of NBC's Smash — brought her sumptuous voice to the Touch of Red Gala.

The persistent rain couldn't keep more than 250 Hadassah members and Associates from securing support for key legislation during their Day on the Hill. Representing 25 states, they met with policymakers from over 80 congressional offices to promote women's health equity, Holocaust education, gun safety, a strong US-Israel relationship, and more. Join us in urging our legislators to cosponsor and support the Never Again Education Act and the Health Equity and Accountability Act, reintroduced in the House of Representatives on May 23.

As part of Celebration 2018, the Hadassah Women's Health & Advocacy Conference gave those most passionate about Hadassah the tools to engage their communities and empower women back home, particularly around Hadassah's health and advocacy efforts in the United States and in Israel. As serious as some of those issues may be, it was also time to celebrate being together to recognize how far Hadassah and Israel have come as we celebrate our milestone anniversaries.

The energy and commitment at every session of this conference made one thing clear — these Hadassah members are ready to take Hadassah's legacy into the century ahead.