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Women and Health Lectures
For more information, call 402-280-2017.
2008
Jeannette Walls, Author
The Center for Health Policy & Ethics is pleased to announce that Jeannette Wells, author of the best-selling memoir, The Glass Castle, will be the 19th Annual Women & Health Lecturer.
2007
Ann Hood, Author
Thank you for joining us at the 18th Annual Women & Health Lecture which was held Tuesday, November 13 at the Joslyn Art Museum featuring author, Ann Hood. Ms. Hood’s lecture focused on grief and healing as depicted in her critically acclaimed most recent novel, The Knitting Circle (2007).
Click here to see pictures from the 18th Annual Women & Health Lecture featuring Ann Hood.
2006
Jodi Picoult, Author
Thank you for joining us at this year's 17th Annual Women and Health Lecture, which was held Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha's Botanical Center featuring novelist Jodi Picoult who discussed her novel My Sister's Keeper.
2005
Elizabeth Berg, Author
The 16th Annual Women and Health Lecture was held Wednesday, September 14, and featured novelist Elizabeth Berg who discussed "Literature as Medicine" as her topic.
History of the Women and Health Lectures
In 1989, Dr. Katherine H. Brown was an Assistant Director for Health Policy at Center for Health Policy and Ethics and an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a medical anthropologist, one of her special interests included minority and women’s health issues. Her research and publications focused on socio-cultural analyses of health problems and health care delivery systems. Based on these interests, Dr. Brown suggested to CHPE's then Director, Dr. Charles Doughtery, the initiation of a women and health lecture. Dr. Brown's proposal was accepted and the first lecture was presented by Dr. Margaret MacKenzie, Assistant Professor of Humanities & Science, California College of Arts and Crafts (San Francisco, CA) on Monday, November 20, 1989 in the Creighton University Student Center Ballroom. Her lecture was “Our Bodies, Ourselves” was well received by the Creighton Community and a tradition was born.
Beginning in 1995, Dr. Winifred J. Ellenchild Pinch assumed the role of director for the Women and Health Lecture. Under Dr. Pinch's leadership the lecture became institutionalized as part of CHPE's programming and service projects. Thus far, Women and Health Lectures have included sociologists, politicians, advocates, lawyers, philosophers, judges, theologians, nurses, psychologists, physicians and novelists. Additionally, because of grants from the Nebraska Humanities Council, the Center for Health Policy and Ethics has been able to keep the lecture free and open to the public.
During the 2004-2005 academic year, Dr. Amy Haddad suggested that we consider
inviting, as lecturers, women novelists whose work addresses health care issues
and includes an ethical dimension. Our first lecturer in this venue was Ms.
Elizabeth Berg, and she developed an insightful lecture on “Literature as
Medicine.” She created a wonderful presentation which combined health and ethics
related to examples from a number of her novels. A more detailed report for this
lecture can be found at the CHPE web site under Focus Newsletter in the Fall
2005 issue. Other reviews of earlier Women and Health Lectures can also be read
in past issues of Focus, CHPE’s newsletter.
Past Women and Health Lectures
2005
Elizabeth Berg, Bestselling Author
"Literature as Medicine"
2004
Marion Field Fass, Sc.D.
“Deciphering the AIDS Epidemic”
2003
Winifred J. Ellenchild Pinch, EdD
“When the Bough Broke: Continuing the Journey With Parents of High-risk
Newborns”
2002
Steven R. Sabat, PhD
“In Praise of Enduring Relationships with People with Alzheimer’s Disease”
2001
Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM
“Women and Spiritual Health”
2000
The Honorable Patricia A. Lamberty
“Domestic Violence in Omaha: Cause and Effect and Impact on Our System”
1999
Senator Deborah Suttle
“Women’s Health: Beyond Reproduction”
1998
S. Kay Toombs, PhD
“Where Would SHE Like to Sit? The Personal and Societal Challenges of Chronic
Illness and Disability”
1997
Jean deBlois, CSJ, RN, PhD
“Moral Discernment and Clinical Decisions: Does Gender Make A Difference?”
1996
Karen Rothenberg, JD, MPA
“Predictive Genetic Testing and Breast Cancer: Ethical, Legal and Social
Challenges”
1995
Susan Sherwin, PhD
“Exploring the Ethical Dimensions of Women’s Role in Medical Research”
1993
Byllye Avery
“Empowerment Through Wellness: Health Issues of Black American Women”
1992
Emily Friedman
“The World Turned Upside Down: The Changing Impact of Women on the American
Health Care System”
1991
Sharon C. Wilsnack, PhD
“New Knowledge About Problem Drinking in Women”
1990
JoAnne Howes
“The Politics of Women’s Health: Creating Change for a Healthier America”
1989
Margaret MacKenzie, PhD
“Our Bodies, Ourselves: Eating Disorders and Body Image from a Cultural
Perspective”