Eva Guo (9) | STAFF REPORTER
A woman visited a hospital after receiving many painful headaches. She was told that she was just being dramatic after asking for a brain scan, that she just needed rest. She was brushed off numerous times until she finally got it in 2015. By then it was too late; she had a brain tumor so large that it could not be surgically removed.
That was the story of 53 year old Ilene Ruhoy. Although Ruhoy did not die during surgery, her situation could have been prevented if her pain was not invalidated. Unfortunately, her story is not a one-off example. Many women with serious health problems are ignored by medical professionals.
The issue stems from sexism combined with blatant ignorance. Women are often stereotyped as overdramatic, resulting in doctors believing they are overexaggerating their symptoms and not taking them seriously. Women’s pains relating to the uterus are very often brushed off as simply being period pains.
Medical research is traditionally centered around men and some of that research is still utilized. Until recently, women were not legally required to be included in medical studies. This results in some doctors not being able to treat women properly. Studies even show that only 11% of American men can identify women’s stroke symptoms.
Many women die because medical professionals fail to treat them. Women’s health problems should no longer be invalidated by a cheap excuse, especially when it may endanger her life.
This article was written in March 2024.
