Established in 1997 by Former Wisconsin First Lady Sue Ann Thompson, the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation is a statewide non-profit in Wisconsin dedicated solely to improving the health and lives of women and their families, through education, outreach programs and partnerships.

Why Women's Health?

We are often asked, “Why women’s health?” There are many reasons…

Women are the heart of the healthcare system within the family. Women make over 85% of the healthcare decisions in American households and spend four of every five healthcare dollars.

Just think of your daily lives. Typically, women buy groceries and cook for their families. Women schedule doctor appointments for children and keep track of immunizations and allergies.

There is a significant lack of information about women’s health issues. Until 1988, women were typically excluded from research; clinical trials were conducted on men with the results generalized to women. There is a need for research regarding diseases which disproportionately affect women, as well as a need to understand how common diseases affect women differently than men.

Why women’s health? Because healthy women make healthy families. Healthy families make healthy communities. And healthy communities make a healthy Wisconsin.

What Makes the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation Different?

• Our ability to connect thousands of urban and rural women with the community resources they need, and to bring critical health information to all corners of the state.
• Our focus on prevention, healthy lifestyle choices and the health issues that affect women throughout their entire lives.
• Our independence from any healthcare system allows us to present women’s health issues as non-partisan, non-competitive advocates.
• Our successful partnerships with private and public organizations throughout Wisconsin and the U.S., which helps us capitalize on scarce resources.
• Our Scientific Advisory Committee of recognized medical experts from institutions of higher learning: University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin.