Dear Friends,

It was 10 years ago today, that the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) – the largest preventive women’s health study ever conducted in the United States -- changed the lives of many  by showing that that hormone therapy (HT) increased the risk of breast cancer and heart disease. This was an unprecedented and extraordinary public health victory – and as a leading advocate for starting the WHI, the NWHN was instrumental in making it happen.  As a result of our work, women and our health care providers now have reliable evidence about the safety and effectiveness of these drugs.  

On May 6th, the NWHN received the Grassroots Activism Award from the National Breast Cancer Coalition for our success in reducing the incidence of breast cancer. The award recognized how the activism of NWHN members and supporters -- challenging widespread use of hormone therapy -- changed the lives of 160,000 women who were not diagnosed with breast cancer over the last 10 years because they avoided unnecessary exposure to drugs that would have caused it.  

The WHI was responsible for the first significant drop in breast cancer rates ever in the United States.  But despite this unprecedented accomplishment, to this day some still question the WHI results and continue to promote unproven theories about how taking hormones benefits women’s health.  But never fear; the NWHN is still working hard to keep women informed about the facts.

I’m asking you today to help us set the record straight AND build on the WHI achievements by:

• Taking action  - send an email urging Congress to invest in women’s health.  
• Sharing your story  - tell us how the WHI affected your life.
• Showing your appreciation  for the breast cancer prevented by this landmark research.
• Getting the facts  - learn more about menopause and hormone therapy, including the important differences between estrogen-only HT and estrogen-progestin combination HT – and share the information with the women in your life.

The NWHN has made a difference in the world by demanding and telling the truth about women’s health and lives. Thank you for helping us to do this important work,



Cindy Pearson
Executive Director