Cysters

🎃 Scary Menstrual Health Facts: Period Poverty in the UK 👻 This Halloween, let's talk about something truly terrifying that lurks all year round: period poverty. While we decorate with ghosts and ghouls, millions in the UK are haunted by a lack of access to essential menstrual products. Here are some frightful facts that might make your blood run cold: 1. 1 in 10 people in the UK can't afford period products. Many are forced to choose between buying food or buying tampons and pads. No one should have to make that decision. 2. Hidden Horrors: Stigma around menstruation leads many to suffer in silence. Around 49% of girls have missed school due to period poverty. This silent struggle leaves lasting scars, affecting education, self-esteem, and mental health. 3. Bleeding Financially: Period products are still a financial burden. The cost of menstrual care can be up to £20k for people who are chronically ill – that’s a scary amount for many already facing economic hardship. 4. Risky Alternatives: In desperation, people resort to unsafe alternatives like old socks, toilet paper, or newspaper, leading to infections and other health risks. This is not a horror story but the reality for far too many. 5. End of a Nightmare? In 2020, Scotland became the first country to provide free period products – but the rest of the UK has yet to follow in full. The fight for fair access continues. This Halloween, let’s do more than carve pumpkins. Talk about period poverty, support charities providing menstrual products, and help bring an end to this ongoing nightmare for so many. Because period poverty isn’t fiction; it’s a scary reality we can change. 💀 #PeriodPoverty #BloodyScary #EndTheStigma #Halloween

Our founder, Neelam, was honored to be part of the steering group for the FIRST Punjabi Mental Health Conference, led by Taraki and @Centre for Mental Health at the beautiful Sangat TV offices 💜 It was her first talk and outing as a new mum, with baby Daya in tow! 👶🏽 She spoke on the impact of culture, how fertility is put on a pedestal, and the huge gaps in support for mothers—from fertility journeys to postpartum care. At Cysters, we’re working hard to build a community while also challenging misconceptions around fertility. From the stigma around contraceptive care (like the pill 💊) to speculums being linked to sexual promiscuity, we're tackling how cultural patriarchy and misogyny stop members in our community from getting the support they need. Whether it's support around chronic health conditions to ferilitty, it's all linked. Let’s talk openly about menstrual and maternal health—without judgment. 🤝 Join us in raising awareness and building a supportive community! #Cysters #MaternalHealth #MenstrualHealth #SupportMothers #MentalHealth

‼️There isn’t enough research around LGBTQIA+ people trying to get pregnant, becoming and being pregnant, birth, infant feeding and the first year after birth. We want to change that and your voice is important. The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, the James Lind Alliance, LGBT Mummies and others are working on a ground-breaking Priority Setting Partnership to help shape future research that is done on LGBTQIA+ perinatal care. Read more here https://lnkd.in/e3yVExzx or go straight to the survey: bit.ly/3Bev2zp Who can take part? - LGBTQIA+ people - Their family and supporters - The perinatal healthcare professionals who work with them - Surrogates and those who have donated sperm or eggs - You need to live or work in the UK to take part What is the survey about? In this short survey you can share the questions you want answered by research in the area of perinatal care for LGBTQIA+ people. From the questions people send in, we will then identify together the Top 10 priorities for research that would improve care, experiences and outcomes around fertility, pregnancy, birth and the year after birth for LGBTQIA+ people. Read more here https://lnkd.in/e3yVExzx or go straight to the survey: bit.ly/3Bev2zp If you need any support answering the questions or accessing the survey in anyway then please let me know! #LGBTQIAPSP #research #feeding #SameSexParents #perinatal #maternity #LGBTFamily #queerparenting #fertility #Adoption #Fostering #2Mums #2Dads #NonBinary #trans #Lesbian #intersex #Bisexual #Pride #Lovemakesafamily #lovewins #Pride #love #loveislove #lgbt #lgbtq #ivfcommunity #family #baby #lgbt

🖤 Why Black Health Equity Day? This #BlackHistoryMonth, we’re standing up for change with Black Health Equity Day (BHED)—a day dedicated to addressing the severe health disparities that Black communities face in the UK. Black people experience some of the worst health outcomes across nearly every major statistic: higher maternal death rates, increased risk of strokes, poorer prostate cancer diagnoses, and significant mental health challenges. These inequities stem from historical injustices and systemic racial discrimination, and they continue to affect access to quality healthcare today. Black Health Equity Day exists because we believe in a future where every Black person can live their healthiest life. It’s about taking action to close the health gap and ensuring that Black communities no longer bear the brunt of poor health outcomes. This October, join us in raising awareness and demanding better health for Black communities. Let’s flood social media with “I support BHED” posts and stand together in the fight for equity. Your voice, your action, can help build a future where health equity is a reality for all. #BHED #BHED2024 #UnityInAction #ElevatingBlackHealth #HEALforblackpeople #BlackHealthEquityDay #HealthEquityForAll #BlackHistoryMonth

🔍Living with #Diabetes and going through #Menopause? Share your experiences in an online focus group with other women! 🗣️ Be heard, make a difference. Wmail r.black3@ulster.ac.uk today! Egality Health

Representation matters because it lets us see ourselves, our cultures, and our stories being celebrated 🎉—and that’s exactly what we stand for at Cysters! 🌈 We’re here to make sure EVERYONE feels seen, heard, and included, no matter their background or identity. It’s how we come together, uplift each other, and create a world where every voice is heard 🌍. Today, every South Asian and Bollywood fan has woken up feeling *proud*, loving their bangles, bindis, and all the beauty that comes with being Desi ✨ Thank you, Punam, for being EVERYTHING we’ve needed to see and more. The joy is so real today! 🩷💛💙 “You can’t be what you can’t see” 👏🏽 Shout out to @bbcstrictly for bringing the iconic magic of Hindi cinema to the dance floor for the FIRST TIME ever! 💃🏽🎶 We're off to dance around in our lenghas and celebrate Punam with Chai and Samosas ✌🏾 Punam Krishan #K3G #representationmatters #desivibes #bollywood

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🌟 Still buzzing from this weekend's Cysters Marginalized and Menopausal Conference! 💫 This is just the beginning, and it's not just a one-time event – it's a long-term project covering ALL forms of marginalization: race, class, location, gender, you name it! 🌍 So grateful for the support from our amazing colleagues, Nighat Arif Dr. Aziza Sesay Sahir Ahmed-Evans Pamela Windle She/Her Meera Bhogal ChangeXtra Nina K. Itunuoluwa Johnson-Sogbetun Lina Chan Saffiyah K. Wellbeing of Women Holland and Barrett SEA Parla As well as everyone who put their time and energy into this event to make it a success Kirsty-Louise Card Harinder Kalsi (was Sambhi) EAST VILLAGE. Molly M. Tara Attfield-Tomes Hattie D'Souza Alex Lamle Kyran Heera Bimla Heera Kaljinder Singh Ghaman Ram 👩👩👧👦 Community isn't just a buzzword for us. It's all about family, and those values will always keep us grounded. 💖 Our work shines brightest when we collaborate with other experts and keep the community at the heart of it all. 🤝 There's plenty of room at this table for everyone, and you're always welcome to join us! 🍽️ Thank you a million times over for your incredible support! 🙌 #marginalizedandmenopausal #menopause

✨ Amazing event 'Marginalised in Menopause' held by Neelam Heera - Shergill and Cysters. So many inspirational people talking about a range of topics from surgical menopause, perimenopause and how to manage symptoms. We heard clear calls to action to improve education in schools, and the communications and information we receive on menstrual health. Our favourite was the discussion on working with community organisations to engage those under-served by the health system. We loved the speakers call to pay organisations and people fairly for their time, and run projects that remove power dynamics. This is what we’re all about! There’s still so much work to do, but we’re feeling inspired! 💪 Meera Bhogal Dr. Aziza Sesay Pamela Windle She/Her Lina Chan Nighat Arif Itunuoluwa Johnson-Sogbetun Nina K. Lesley Regan #Menopause #HealthEquity

😊 I'm so blessed to have the support of my family for the work we do at Cysters Kyran Heera Kaljinder Singh Ghaman Ram Harinder Kalsi (was Sambhi)