If there is one thing I have learned from my dear parents, it is that you should do everything in life with passion. Whether it's your work, your relationships, or your approach to life: passion makes the difference. Honestly, I haven't always managed it as well as I would have liked, but as you grow older, you also become a bit wiser. It’s true: when you do your work with passion, beautiful things happen. This was also the case with the creation of My Own Filo.
My intrinsic motivation for this project was simple: to bridge the gap between mother and daughter. Simply by talking about basic, often taboo subjects. We women are open to talking about so many things, but when it comes to our intimate health, far too often silence prevails. At least, this is the case for far too many women. And that silence can have serious consequences.
My motivation to make this topic more openly discussed was strengthened by a personal tragedy. My biggest fan, my mother, was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She had, apart from the three births, never visited a doctor in her entire life. A strong Frisian woman who never complained and certainly didn’t want to be ill. But if only she had talked to me or a doctor about her health problems, rather than hiding them for years... perhaps she would still be here.
That realization hit hard. Had my mother been more open about her issues, she might have sought help earlier. Maybe something could have been done. Maybe her life could have been extended. The word "maybe" continues to gnaw at me. But what I do know for sure is that it motivated me even more. It made me realize how important it is to make everything discussable when it comes to health.
We need to learn to talk – without shame, without fear. About our bodies, our complaints, and our doubts. There is often more possible than we think. There is so much to be done, prevented, eased, or even cured, if only we dare to cross the threshold and make it open for discussion.
So, do you talk enough about your health? Do you share your concerns with your loved ones, friends, or a doctor? Or do you keep it to yourself, as so many of us do?
I challenge you: break the silence. Talk. Talk before it’s too late.
