by Viki Zarkin

Women Must Adocate for Themselves

By Viki Zarkin

Award

Happy new year everyone. I hope 2021 is a better year for us all. In the spirit of the new year, I have a proposition for everyone. My new program for this year is twofold. First, I encourage women to ask questions and follow their own instincts when it comes to their health. Too many women follow whatever a doctor says (even though they know their symptoms may differ or follow the path of another) just because they were raised to do so. We need to stand up and listen to our own bodies, because if we don’t, we are in danger of losing ourselves to all sorts of illnesses. I believe if we can communicate our true concerns, we can find less invasive answers. By simply communicating, we can get to the root of the problem before it becomes a much larger problem. Speaking out about our bodies and how we are feeling will empower us to be advocates of our own medical treatment and therefore our outcomes. I am in no way ruling out the importance of your medical professionals’ opinions. I wouldn’t be here today without them. All I am saying is I also wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t fought for myself.

Doctors should teach their patients to listen to their bodies. A patient may never have been encouraged to do so before, and it is the doctor’s responsibility to teach that patient to do so. However, that may just be my opinion. I believe it is essential to women’s personal care. Not all women get to have an equal education, and obviously, all women don’t have the same upbringing, so the importance of having confidence in their bodies was not always taught. This is because most mothers weren’t taught that in earlier generations. Women from all different races and classes are treated differently. It is up to our generation to break that cycle and raise our daughters with strength of self. We must set the example by standing up for our own health and being our own advocates. Lastly, our doctors themselves need to listen to patients more. If doctors took five minutes at the beginning of the examination and listened before diagnosing their patients, insurance companies could save millions. Lots of pill popping could be avoided. Less women would die.

So, to sum this all up, I suggest we follow our instincts, listen to our bodies, and be our best advocates. Teach our doctors to help women be their own best advocates. Encourage doctors to be better listeners to their patients so we can be proactive and treat first with preventive medicine instead of the reactive and expensive medicine that is being used today. If this practice were followed, many women wouldn’t die of cancers and other diseases that could have been treated earlier and more easily.

As we recover from a year of a disease-ridden pandemic and a lot of negativity, I hope we can remain positive and be stronger. We are strong when we band together. We can do this one woman at a time. Tell your doctors, your friends, your neighbors- just tell everyone. Be strong. Be confident. Advocate for yourself and other women. Believe and trust your instincts and body.

Lifetime

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dianne L. Bird

Administrative Assistant, Retired McMaster University - Hamilton

Dianne L. Bird is a retired administrative assistant. She spent over 30 years with McMaster University of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. While with the university, she provided administration and general support to the University Advancement Office, the president and to the six faculties. She also arranged dinners and meetings internationally to promote the University. Currently, Dianne is active with a local senior center. She is a member of the McMaster University Retirees Association. Through this association, she actively liaises with other retirees. In her retirement, Dianne enjoys reading, is a member of several book clubs, enjoys yoga, volunteering for animal rescue, helping children with special needs, and senior wellness.

How did you get started in your field/industry?

When I was going back to work, I decided to start with Kelly Services. This gave me a good variety of jobs and an idea of what was out there. I had about six different jobs. Each was different and gave me more experience in my field. Then I applied for and got the job at McMaster. The university was perfect for me. My areas of expertise were teaching hospital and university advancement. University advancement covered the whole of the university regarding raising funds for areas that were desperately in need. Before I retired, I had raised $4,500,000.

What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

It was challenging telling your boss that you were willing to do new challenges and learn new things. The obstacles were that if you didn’t have a degree, it was thought that you didn’t have the ability to take over the more challenging portfolios. Experience at the university wasn’t a plus; you really had to push your way up front to get the opportunity.

What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

It’s challenging trying to show that we are quite capable of making decisions and making new ideas come to fruition. It is harder to get the jobs that women can do and do well. They really have to put themselves out there.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

It means acknowledging all the struggles that women have to go through in order to prove themselves worthy of their jobs and the fact that they are very talented and knowledgeable. They must prove themselves to the powers that be and be recognized by their peers. Empowerment is when you have reached the goals that you have set out to accomplish.

What do you do to escape and recharge, even for a few hours?

When I was working, I would grab some tea and sit in the rose garden in the summer, take in the birds, the fragrance of the roses, and the peacefulness. In the winter, there is a little nook on the second floor that is very quiet and relaxing. In the summer, I now retreat to my gazebo; in the winter I relax in our living room. Both areas are quiet and are good places to read and relax.

What book is on your bedside table right now and why?

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Since I have joined book clubs, there are different books every month. The challenge is to figure out what the author is telling you, whether you like the book or not, and the reason why. I am now reading “The Litigators” by John Grisham, which is a murder mystery, and as the title suggests, lawyers are involved. This book is being very challenging for me. Usually I have figured out who the murderer is before I have finished the book. This one will be different.

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