1. This was my last week with Scrappy, which was bittersweet. The owner's sister decided she wanted to watch Scrappy until she was out of the shelter. So on my way out of town on Friday night I met up with the owner's sister and handed him over.
2. This experience that I shared with Scrappy has opened my eyes to women's issues and let me see first hand how serious this issue really is. So many women are being abused every day and something as simple as fostering their pet can make such a huge difference. Again, my project does not have much to do with women's sexuality like our readings in class, but a woman's sexuality should be sacred. Scrappy's owner is not only physically abused, but it is also abusive to her soul as woman. When a woman's soul has been damaged, her self-esteem is broken. Her sexuality may seem non-existent, or gross like Cisneros feels. Even if Scrappy's owner is a white woman, the abuse she deals with can make her feel as if she is the opposite.
3. This week has been so rewarding for me as a person, and new activist. Talking about helping the community feels totally different than actually doing it. I am so glad I had this opportunity to help Scrappy's owner get a chance to get out of an abusive home and rediscover herself as a woman and a mother. Knowing that I did something that seems so simple to me, but was so meaningful and life-changing for Scrappy's owner, really makes me think twice about how I am living my life. I have learned to cherish the life I have because so many women deal with issues that are much more devastating than mine.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Service Learning Activism Log 10/17
1. This week I was able to foster my first pet! Friday afternoon I got a call from Arielle, my community partner coordinator informing me of an eight month old chiuaua, Scrappy, who was in need of a foster. I was thrilled not only to foster my first pet, but to help an abused woman as well. I drove to cocoa beach to pick him up. I was expecting to have Scrappy for at least a week, but I got a call from Scrappy's owner today saying she was out of the shelter and ready to get him back tomorrow, which was bitter sweet.
2. When I picked Scrappy up, I was told that an Animal Safehouse coordinator was going to meet me, when I got to the meeting spot I was met by Scrappy's owner. Seeing this woman, who also has three children, cry her eyes out while handing me her dog broke my heart. This was the least of her problems at the moment, and it was still so traumatizing. This week in class we talked about women's sexuality. One quote that stuck out to me was, "As sex objects, women are commonly portrayed as child-like or doll-like playthings." The woman was seeking shelter because she had been beaten by her boyfriend. Men in these situations obviously do no care about these women. They can be looked at as sex objects that they use, and when angry enough, beat. This misconception of women is not only disrespectful, but can be extremely dangerous.
3. This weekend has been a great experience. In such a short time, Scrappy and I have created such a strong bond. I am sad to see him go, but I am happy his owner feels safe again, hopefully, and can go on living her normal life instead of hiding in fear. Even though dog fostering is such a simple, enjoyable task it is crazy how impactful it can be. If it wasn't for me, this woman may not have been able to seek shelter for herself and her children. I am so thankful I got the opportunity to help her and her kids, it has been a very rewarding experience.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Women's Health Assignment
1. So many women, especially in this economic state, are not able to afford mammograms or even breast cancer treatments. Most healthcares do not even cover mammograms, yet they cover treatments after a woman has found out that she has breast cancer.
2. If women are aware, which some are not, of mammogram screenings it is most likely that their insurance does not cover them. “Most insurers don't cover mammography for screening, but do cover it for diagnosis, once an abnormality is suspected.” (Willis) With so many women with breast cancer you would think that these kinds of tests would be covered before any suspicion of the disease is detected.
I have a friend whose fiancé was diagnosed with breast cancer about six months ago. Before being diagnosed, she had recently graduated from law school and was excelling at a successful law firm here in Orlando. She never went to any mammogram screenings because her insurance did not cover it, and now, she is going through chemo and is forced to work just to keep her insurance to cover her treatment.
Looking from a macro level, the insurance companies are well aware of how deadly breast cancer can be, and how the cancer gets more and more common every year They are also aware of how easy it is to treat if detected early enough. Insurers should at least cover mammograms yearly for all women, which would absolutely lower the number of breast cancer victims.
3. “If the disease is detected at an earlier stage, your chance of complete cure with better cosmetic result will be greatly increased.”(Dinka) This quote right here should make it pretty clear to how health insurance companies should react to breast cancer. In my “pro-woman” healthcare plan, mammograms would be covered. Not only would the procedure be covered, but if detected with breast cancer the woman would not have to go work just to keep her insurance on top of dealing with the painful chemotherapy process.
Breast cancer has become more popular and more deadly every year, the healthcare system should realize that. The whole system itself should be redesigned around women, with breast care in particular.
4. On top of healthcare providing coverage for mammograms and treatments, I would make sure women all across the country knew of these services. “Women may be unaware that mammography screening, in addition to physical examination, is so widely recommended.” (Willis) Women in the world are not told enough how important mammogram screenings can be, which is information that could save their life.
There is already a whole month dedicated to breast cancer, which raises awareness, but still some women are unaware of the treatments that are offered. The health insurers, after providing coverage for mammograms, should be more informative to their clients and future clients. Just like flu shots are offered at local hospitals, doctor offices, and even schools, mammogram screenings should be offered as well.
Works Cited
Willis, Judith. “Why Women Don't Get Mammograms (And Why They Should)”. http://www.hoptechno.com/book55.htm. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Office of Public Affairs
Dinka. “Breast Cancer Can Be Fully Cured if Detected at Early Stage”
http://www.huliq.com/28366/breast-cancer-can-be-fully-cured-if-detected-at-early-stage.
2. If women are aware, which some are not, of mammogram screenings it is most likely that their insurance does not cover them. “Most insurers don't cover mammography for screening, but do cover it for diagnosis, once an abnormality is suspected.” (Willis) With so many women with breast cancer you would think that these kinds of tests would be covered before any suspicion of the disease is detected.
I have a friend whose fiancé was diagnosed with breast cancer about six months ago. Before being diagnosed, she had recently graduated from law school and was excelling at a successful law firm here in Orlando. She never went to any mammogram screenings because her insurance did not cover it, and now, she is going through chemo and is forced to work just to keep her insurance to cover her treatment.
Looking from a macro level, the insurance companies are well aware of how deadly breast cancer can be, and how the cancer gets more and more common every year They are also aware of how easy it is to treat if detected early enough. Insurers should at least cover mammograms yearly for all women, which would absolutely lower the number of breast cancer victims.
3. “If the disease is detected at an earlier stage, your chance of complete cure with better cosmetic result will be greatly increased.”(Dinka) This quote right here should make it pretty clear to how health insurance companies should react to breast cancer. In my “pro-woman” healthcare plan, mammograms would be covered. Not only would the procedure be covered, but if detected with breast cancer the woman would not have to go work just to keep her insurance on top of dealing with the painful chemotherapy process.
Breast cancer has become more popular and more deadly every year, the healthcare system should realize that. The whole system itself should be redesigned around women, with breast care in particular.
4. On top of healthcare providing coverage for mammograms and treatments, I would make sure women all across the country knew of these services. “Women may be unaware that mammography screening, in addition to physical examination, is so widely recommended.” (Willis) Women in the world are not told enough how important mammogram screenings can be, which is information that could save their life.
There is already a whole month dedicated to breast cancer, which raises awareness, but still some women are unaware of the treatments that are offered. The health insurers, after providing coverage for mammograms, should be more informative to their clients and future clients. Just like flu shots are offered at local hospitals, doctor offices, and even schools, mammogram screenings should be offered as well.
Works Cited
Willis, Judith. “Why Women Don't Get Mammograms (And Why They Should)”. http://www.hoptechno.com/book55.htm. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Office of Public Affairs
Dinka. “Breast Cancer Can Be Fully Cured if Detected at Early Stage”
http://www.huliq.com/28366/breast-cancer-can-be-fully-cured-if-detected-at-early-stage.
Friday, October 8, 2010
SL Activism Log 10/8
- This past week I have not done much for my service learning activity. I received a confirmation email a while back on my application to foster a pet, and in the next upcoming week I am planning on going to Melbourne and talking with Leandra about which pet I am going to be fostering. Besides that, nothing has really happened.
- This past week our study was about racism towards Indian women and a feminist’s definition of health. I do not think that our lesson had much to do with my project, but if I could connect it in any way, I would say that the discrimination these women felt affected they way they lived as a woman just as women who are abused by their husbands and feel as if they cannot leave their house because of their pets. On page 241 quotes, “That began my war….Indian and poor.” This quote states that women felt and were hindered by their race, just as abused women are hindered to live the life they want because of fear.
- I have already learned a lot from my project. I cannot wait until I am fostering a pet, and I know that I am helping at least one woman get help. The feeling alone that I get from knowing that I am helping an abused woman find safety is unexplainable. I am learning that something so small, and so easy can make a huge difference. If people all across the world did simple activities like these, the world would be a better place by far.
Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa- Rey. Women's Lives Multicultural Perspective. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)