Why I Speak Up About Women’s Health: The Story Behind My Mission
By Reganne O’Brien, MPH | Epidemiologist, Doctoral Candidate, Author, and Advocate
For years, I stayed silent.
I pushed through the pain.
I swallowed my questions.
I tried not to make waves.
I didn’t want to be that woman — the one who complained, questioned, or pushed back when doctors dismissed my symptoms.
So I told myself to deal with it quietly.
But silence has a cost.
For me, it cost years of my life.
It cost parts of my health I’ll never get back.
And for a long time, it cost me my sense of self.
That’s why I don’t stay quiet anymore.
Believing Women Is Life-Saving Medicine
I never set out to become a public voice in women’s health.
I set out to survive.
When I first began sharing my story — about living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), navigating medical dismissal, and learning to advocate for myself — something unexpected happened.
Women started reaching out.
Women who felt overlooked.
Women who had been told, "It’s all in your head."
Women who were silently fighting battles no one could see.
Their stories echoed my own.
And I realized something powerful:
It’s not enough for me to heal quietly.
If I had to fight this hard to be believed, how many other women were still stuck in silence?
I am not alone. More than 3 million Americans live with IBD, and women are disproportionately affected by invisible and chronic illnesses that disrupt lives every day.
Yet, research continues to show that women’s pain is taken less seriously. A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that women are less likely than men to receive pain medication in emergency settings, even when presenting with the same symptoms.
This isn’t anecdotal — it’s systemic.
The Mission Is Bigger Than Me
Today, I speak, write, and advocate so no woman feels invisible in her pain.
Through my work — whether on stage, in my upcoming book She Wasn’t Lying, or through my nonprofit The Warrior in Her — I am committed to:
-Bringing light to hidden crises in women’s health
-Equipping women with knowledge, tools, and language to advocate for themselves
-Building communities rooted in truth and compassion — not dismissal and shame
This isn’t just about my story.
It’s about our story.
Because every woman deserves:
→ To be heard.
→ To receive care without her reality being questioned.
→ To reclaim her power and dignity.
And research shows the difference belief makes. When women feel believed and heard by their providers, they are up to 60% more likely to follow through with treatment, experience better health outcomes, and stay engaged in their care.
Listening is not optional.
It’s life-saving.
You Belong Here
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve lived it too.
Maybe you’re exhausted from fighting to be heard.
Maybe you’re tired of doubting your own experiences.
Maybe you’re ready for something different — something more.
You belong here.
You belong in this movement — to break the silence, to rewrite the narrative, and to stand in your truth.
I’m so glad you found your way here.
This is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing stories, insights, and practical tools to help you own your truth and step fully into your power.
Because your voice matters.
Your story matters.
And you deserve to be believed.
About Reganne O’Brien:
Reganne is an epidemiologist, public health advocate, and doctoral candidate committed to changing the narrative around women’s health. She is the founder of The Warrior in Her and author of the forthcoming book She Wasn’t Lying, which exposes how women’s pain is dismissed in healthcare and offers a roadmap for reclaiming power and dignity in the face of chronic illness.
Why I Speak Up About Women’s Health: The Story Behind My Mission
By Reganne O’Brien, MPH | Epidemiologist, Doctoral Candidate, Author, and Advocate
For years, I stayed silent.
I pushed through the pain.
I swallowed my questions.
I tried not to make waves.
I didn’t want to be that woman — the one who complained, questioned, or pushed back when doctors dismissed my symptoms.
So I told myself to deal with it quietly.
But silence has a cost.
For me, it cost years of my life.
It cost parts of my health I’ll never get back.
And for a long time, it cost me my sense of self.
That’s why I don’t stay quiet anymore.
Believing Women Is Life-Saving Medicine
I never set out to become a public voice in women’s health.
I set out to survive.
When I first began sharing my story — about living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), navigating medical dismissal, and learning to advocate for myself — something unexpected happened.
Women started reaching out.
Women who felt overlooked.
Women who had been told, "It’s all in your head."
Women who were silently fighting battles no one could see.
Their stories echoed my own.
And I realized something powerful:
It’s not enough for me to heal quietly.
If I had to fight this hard to be believed, how many other women were still stuck in silence?
I am not alone. More than 3 million Americans live with IBD, and women are disproportionately affected by invisible and chronic illnesses that disrupt lives every day.
Yet, research continues to show that women’s pain is taken less seriously. A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that women are less likely than men to receive pain medication in emergency settings, even when presenting with the same symptoms.
This isn’t anecdotal — it’s systemic.
The Mission Is Bigger Than Me
Today, I speak, write, and advocate so no woman feels invisible in her pain.
Through my work — whether on stage, in my upcoming book She Wasn’t Lying, or through my nonprofit The Warrior in Her — I am committed to:
Bringing light to hidden crises in women’s health
Equipping women with knowledge, tools, and language to advocate for themselves
Building communities rooted in truth and compassion — not dismissal and shame
This isn’t just about my story.
It’s about our story.
Because every woman deserves:
→ To be heard.
→ To receive care without her reality being questioned.
→ To reclaim her power and dignity.
And research shows the difference belief makes. When women feel believed and heard by their providers, they are up to 60% more likely to follow through with treatment, experience better health outcomes, and stay engaged in their care.
Listening is not optional.
It’s life-saving.
You Belong Here
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve lived it too.
Maybe you’re exhausted from fighting to be heard.
Maybe you’re tired of doubting your own experiences.
Maybe you’re ready for something different — something more.
You belong here.
You belong in this movement — to break the silence, to rewrite the narrative, and to stand in your truth.
I’m so glad you found your way here.
This is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing stories, insights, and practical tools to help you own your truth and step fully into your power.
Because your voice matters.
Your story matters.
And you deserve to be believed.
About Reganne O’Brien:
Reganne is an epidemiologist, public health advocate, and doctoral candidate committed to changing the narrative around women’s health. She is the founder of The Warrior in Her and author of the forthcoming book She Wasn’t Lying, which exposes how women’s pain is dismissed in healthcare and offers a roadmap for reclaiming power and dignity in the face of chronic illness.