In each edition we delve into the minds of those who are redefining the boundaries of health. Our goal is to share the insights and stories of those leading the way to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for everyone.

In this edition I have been speaking to Rebekah Lloyd, Founder of This Independent Lifewho is on a mission to change the world of women’s health.

Please could you tell us about your personal journey and how you came to found This Independent Life?

I’m a women’s health and careers advocate, speaker and consultant, event and podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life (TIL). After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, I started TIL to help advance the future of women’s health and careers and to help all women achieve health, wealth and fulfillment in life regardless of their background. I deliver talks, events and consulting for workplaces and universities, research institutes and startups, and communities, and I’m dedicated to using business as a force for good. I’ve been featured internationally, including The Guardian and Nasdaq, and was recently invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of my work that was broadcast globally via the BBC. I was formerly the founding member of a healthcare communications consultancy in London and had a successful career in the healthcare industry, including research, the NHS, pharmaceuticals, and as a biomedical scientist by training. Combined with my ongoing lived experience of managing endometriosis and mental health challenges, and speaking to countless women that were experiencing the same struggles, I felt uniquely placed to respond to this profound unmet need and to address it through TIL.

What is the biggest challenge founders of women’s health organisations face and how do you think this can be addressed?

Women’s health is unfortunately still considered a taboo by much of society and systemically we have a history of normalising women’s pain. Women’s health is still not seen as a priority by many of our institutions, including healthcare systems, and as such we have not seen the same level of interest, investment and innovation that many other health areas have seen. There is a lack of understanding of the impact of women’s health issues and therefore a lack of appreciation for the need for women’s health organisations to address said issues. I personally apply my AKA framework – awareness, knowledge, action – in everything I do with TIL and I believe we can address these wider challenges with this same approach – the more awareness we can raise of the issues, the more knowledge we can provide across all levels of society and all stakeholders involved in women’s health, and the more action that can be taken to understand the issues and create sustainable scalable solutions, the more likely we are to create a future where no woman or girl has to suffer in pain or silence in generations to come, period.

Another big challenge for many founders of women’s health organisations is that often they are living with a women’s health condition themselves, struggling to manage their own health whilst building an organisation. It can sometimes feel like a catch 22 in that you need to prioritise your health to be able to build your business, but in turn your business is actively trying to support the health issue you suffer from. In addition there is a lack of appreciation and support offered for the mental health and psychological impact that women’s health conditions bring so combining this with the challenges of entrepreneurship can be a challenge in itself. But there is hope – I think we are seeing the tide changing for women’s health founders and organisations. We still have a long way to go but the progress and momentum we are seeing in the space, and across the media, is encouraging and I know that in time we will get the interest, investment and innovation needed to create a brighter future for women’s health.

You run a number of events that make a positive difference to people living with endometriosis please could you tell us more about them?

I host an annual first-of-its-kind, non-profit, community conference, as well as other smaller events throughout the year across all things women’s health and careers, in person and online. In 2023, I hosted my inaugural conference, Future of Endometriosis, and after popular demand I’m excited to be hosting it again on Saturday 9th March. There were no other patient-centred events that existed in the UK that brought together different stakeholders from across the space in a collaborative, inspiring and fun environment. At this, and our smaller events, we provide a safe space to hear from leading experts including patient advocates, healthcare professionals, academic researchers, startup founders, and more, to learn about the latest advancements in research, diagnostic and treatment options, and support for people affected by endometriosis and women’s health conditions.

I also host workshops on Building a Career in Woman’s Health that help people looking to build or pivot into the women’s health space, and expert sessions spanning different women’s health topics such as our upcoming Managing Mental Health with Endometriosis workshop.

Alongside leading This Independent Life you are doing amazing work with policy makers. Please can you tell us more about your work with the UN and UK government?

I am an active member of the UN Women UK community and a UK delegate for the annual Commission on the Status of Women, the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was established in 1946 and is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. I’ve spoken on panels at UN Women events and hosted TIL charity events that have donated to the organisation and raised awareness of issues that disproportionately impact women, as well as collaborated with other members and organisations in the community to contribute towards my mission of helping all women and girls to achieve health, wealth, and fulfillment in life, regardless of their background.

How do you see the future world of women’s healthcare and what role do you see collaboration playing in that evolution?

Collaboration is what will get us to a future of women’s healthcare where we no longer normalise pain and women’s experiences are taken seriously. A future where women are able to get the support they need for the challenges they’re experiencing so they can get back to pursuing careers that they love and living their life on their terms. I also see collaboration as central to the future of women’s healthcare and multidisciplinary holistic approaches becoming central to how we manage women’s health. We are all unique, and our backgrounds are all different, and it’s unrealistic to think that there will ever be a one size fits all approach. I believe if we can create spaces across the world where women can go to be listened to and to get the tailored diagnostic and treatment support they need based on their personal experience and background that we’ll be able to better address the underlying root causes of women’s health issues and take a more preventative personalised approach.

Could you please tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I love travelling and scuba diving and whilst training for my advanced PADI diving qualification in Honduras I cracked an egg 30 meters under water.