Struggling to fall pregnant, Barbora Gray remembers washing her hair with raw eggs after seeing a post online.
« For the first time, I approached social media from a place of vulnerability » she says. « It wasn’t healthy.
« What started as something very innocent, looking at recipes, ended up with me being anxious about everything from shampoo to what I’m washing my dishes with. »
The 35-year-old, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, has now launched She Thrives, an online social community to dispel myths, but also to break down taboos about women’s health.
The account covers issues like the menopause, mental wellbeing, periods and fertility, and gives women in the North East a « safe space » to find accurate and evidence-based information on women’s health.
The mum hopes She Thrives will « transform the way women discuss health ».
She says she was inspired to make a difference after reading the Woman of the North report, which was released by Health Equity North in 2024.
It found women living in the North of England were more likely to work longer, face greater ill health and more likely to be victims of domestic violence than women elsewhere.
Barbora, who works in healthcare communications, says she « knew there were people that did have the answers ».
She Thrives is being backed by the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board, The Northern Health Science Alliance and several NHS trusts.
It is also being supported by individual medical professionals working in the region who are concerned about content that women are being influenced by on social media.
Dr Katherine Gilmore, a consultant in community gynaecology and sexual and reproductive healthcare at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, says she sees patients « all the time » who have seen inaccurate information.
« One of the main barriers to healthcare for women at the moment is time, » she explains. « Social media is the perfect place for them to go to, isn’t it? »
But she says the downside to that is misinformation.
« You can really tell the patients who are well informed versus the women who have seen lots of scare stories. And it can be a real worry. »
She Thrives is being welcomed by women in the North East.
« When I was going through stuff there was nothing like this there, » says Kate Scott, from Hebburn. « What Barbora’s doing is going to help my daughter and grandchildren in future. »
Sarah McEwan, from Jarrow, is also supportive.
« Women work really hard, bringing up our families, working full-time, so this is highlighting that we should focus on ourselves, » she says.
Alison Quinn, also from Jarrow, says: « A lot of my friends have been anxious about things they have read online and I think this is really helpful. »
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