The “silent barrier” of iron deficiency in working-age women and disparities in health will be the  focus of an event this month.

Dr Cory Dugan, a Research Officer from UWA’s School of Human Sciences and co-founder of HolisticHer, Associate Professor Talat Uppal, from Macquarie University and director of Women’s Health Road, and Wiebke Hensen, a women’s health coach and co-founder of HolisticHer, will deliver Your Health, Your Voice: Breaking the Silence on Women’s Health on Thursday 30 April.

Dr Dugan integrates expertise from exercise physiology, nutrition science and clinical research to advance evidence-based interventions that improve health outcomes for women globally.

He regularly publishes and presents on topics including iron deficiency management, hormonal health and performance optimisation in women.

“Women’s health research has been systematically understudied for decades, creating profound healthcare inequities that affect diagnosis, treatment and outcomes,” Dr Dugan said.

“We’re breaking the silence on women’s health through research on conditions such as iron deficiency, which affects millions of women daily.

“This isn’t just about filling research gaps – it's about dismantling gender biases in healthcare and transforming how we approach women’s health from the workplace to the clinic.”

Associate Professor  Uppal’s expertise lies in the management of abnormal menstrual bleeding. She founded Australia’s first Abnormal Menstrual Bleeding Management Hub – a hybrid, digitally enhanced model of care that addresses the needs of women with heavy menstrual bleeding, iron deficiency and anaemia.

She also established the charity Bleed Better, which coordinated the world’s first International Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Day on May 11 to raise awareness of the condition that affects 25 per cent of women of reproductive age.

Ms Hensen brings a practical, real-world lens to women's health through her work as founder of the Busy Girl Club and her recognition as a WA Women Leader. Her session will focus on the intersection of health, performance and sustainable wellbeing for working women.

Free on-site anaemia and iron deficiency screening will be available for all in-person attendees.

The presentation is at UWA’s EZONE on Thursday April 30 from 4pm to 7pm. For more details and to register click here.  A free seminar can also be attended online – for more details and to register click here.