Op-Ed
National Women's Health Network
Challenge:
The National Women's Health Network (The NWHN) is a consumer-supported nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of all women by disseminating accurate, unbiased health information and advocating for progressive health policy.
The NWHN's executive director, Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth, feels very strongly about supporting the Find it Early Act. This is a federal bill that, if passed into law, would ensure all health insurance plans cover screening and diagnostic breast imaging with no out of pocket costs for women with dense breasts or who are at higher risk for breast cancer. and about getting more women, especially women of colour, to participate in clinical trials. Denise had breast cancer herself in 2011 and was saved by a clinical trial.
Solution:
The op-ed required extensive research in order to find relevant data to support Denise's argument and encourage readers to support the Find it Early Act.
Denise was interviewed to collect raw material for the Op-ed, and I identified the following key points for the reader to come away with from this piece:
- More women of colour need to participate in clinical trials
- Denise’s lived experience informs her position on this
- The “green flags” to look for when considering clinical trial participation.
- The NWHN supports the Find It Early act, as it’s going to help with cost barriers for women like her who are at higher risk of breast cancer.
I structured this in a way that told Denise's story first and then informed readers about the impact of her lived experience and what this means for them. I made sure to use Denise's voice and stick to NWHN-specific brand and tone guidelines throughout the piece. By incorporating Denise's personal narrative and emphasizing the importance of the Find it Early Act, I ensured that the piece resonated with the NWHN's mission and values.
The op-ed was crafted to be persuasive yet informative, urging readers to take action while providing them with valuable insights into the importance of breast cancer screening and clinical trial participation.