Women’s Agenda’s Women’s Health & Wellbeing Summit 2025

I attended Women’s Agenda’s Women’s Health & Wellbeing summit this week and in all honesty, it’s taken a couple of days for me to process.

It’s no mean feat hosting an event like this and huge kudos to Angela Priestly, Tarla Lambert-Patel and the WA team for curating such a rich and varied set of topics explored by a diverse (and hugely impressive) set of speakers.

Together, we explored topics of loneliness; addiction; fertility; menopause; resilience; domestic violence; advances in medical research; investing in Women-Founder medical start-ups and just so much more.

I particularly enjoyed Wendy McCarthy’s exploration of reaching ‘Oldenland’ and her advice, “Never feel limited or humiliated by not knowing something. Just ask, ‘Why are we doing it this way?'”.

A/Prof Cleola Anderiesz talked about the pioneering medical research being undertaken at the National Breast Cancer Association…

Prof Melody Ding talked through the idea that we are engineering connection out of our lives (through real conversations being replaced by the likes of online shopping; ordering take out online; social media) and the loneliness that ensues… I couldn’t agree more…

And, on the complex topic of domestic violence there were two profound comments made: Katherine Berney’s observation that perpetrators expertly groom allies, as well as victims and Nicole Yade’s view that domestic violence stems from inequality.

And then bravery from both Antoinette Lattouf’s exploration of resilience and standing by what you believe in and Sophie Delezio heartfelt story, which is beyond inspiring.

An absolute stand-out event! Make sure you get tickets next year!

Speakers referenced:

Wendy McCarthy AC – Social Activist, Writer

Katherine Berney – Executive Director, National Women’s Safety Alliance

Nicole Yade – CEO Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC)

Prof Melody Ying – Professor at Prevention Research Collaboration, The University of Sydney

Antoinette Lattouf – Journalist and author

Sophie Delezio – Keynote speaker