Fifty-eight women in the media received support during the summer wave of the Taking Care of Our Health program, which the Women in Media NGO has been running for several years now with the support of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF).
Participants were reimbursed for preventive screenings, medical consultations, lab tests, and the purchase of medical supplies. Special attention went to women’s health: hormone panels, appointments with gynecologists, breast specialists, and endocrinologists, and ultrasound diagnostics. The program also covered eye exams and new glasses.
“Between heavy workloads, constant stress, and caring for their loved ones, women in the media often put off medical checkups for years,” says project coordinator Oleksandra Horchynska. “This program finally gives them a chance to take care of their own health.”
The real shortage is the energy to act
“Taking care of yourself always feels like something that can wait, because there’s always something more urgent — work, deadlines, air-raid alerts, shelling, helping others. Even when you realize something’s wrong, it’s easy to keep putting yourself last,” notes Anastasiia Rashchenko, a journalist with NGL.media in Lviv.
Through the program, she had a women’s health screening and received psychological support.
“You finally get your health checked — in some cases you breathe a sigh of relief because everything’s fine, and in others you catch a problem in time. What matters is that there are organizations that don’t just urge women to take care of themselves but create real opportunities to do that. Our health shouldn’t have to wait for ‘better times,’” Anastasiia adds.
Iryna Filenko, head of the content desk at Suspilne Cherkasy, also used the program to cover psychological counseling, among other things. She says the initiative let her see the very psychologist she’d felt was the right fit for her.
“In the endless stream of news, when you’re a journalist at a regional outlet, there’s simply no time left to look after your health. I am grateful to the Women in Media for the financial support and the chance to see the doctors and get the checkups that are right for me. I did exactly the tests and screenings that mattered for me, and I chose doctors I consider competent and evidence-based. It also helped that the program had a deadline — it pushed me to turn my intentions into action,” says Iryna Filenko.
Anastasiia Rudenko — head of media solutions at Rubryka and the regional outlet Skhidnyi Variant, and director of the UA Recovery Window Media Network is convinced that what’s most lacking today is the energy to act.
“When the doctor saw my test results, she said, ‘Your body is exhausted.’ For years I’ve run on conviction and inner drive, not noticing how tired I was. But the body keeps the score, and eventually it sends the bill,” Anastasiia recounts.
Through the program, she had a full checkup, learned what needed attention, and began to recover.
“Now my focus is on good nutrition, sleep, movement, and my mental well-being. If it weren’t for the Taking Care of Our Health program, I probably never would have gotten checked at all. This is one of the best investments in the future of the media sector. Take care of your physical and emotional health — without it, nothing else falls into place,” Anastasiia stresses.
Support that comes just when you need it
For Kateryna Matko, editor of the newspaper Silske Zhyttia and the Znamianka.City website, the program was the nudge she needed to get her eyes checked and buy glasses.
“It turned out to be so much more than a medical service — it’s the feeling that someone thought of you, too. Women journalists get used to listening to others, telling their stories, helping the community, and setting their own needs aside. That’s why it matters so much to hear: your health matters too, and you have every right to care and support,” says Kateryna.
“Thank you to Women in Media, ECPMF, and the program’s partners for supporting Ukrainian women in the media — and for the reminder to care not only for others but for ourselves as well” she adds.
Valentyna Blyzniuk, editor of the newspaper Vilnyi Holos in Kolomyia, also had her vision checked. She has worked in media for 34 years now; for the past 8 she has single-handedly put out the print paper and run its social media, and — the first in the Prykarpattia region to drop Ukrposhta three years ago — she delivers each fresh issue to readers herself, files her reports, and juggles much more besides.
“There’s never enough time for yourself or your own health. Thanks to the program, I had a checkup and found out I’ve needed glasses for a long time. Now those long hours at the computer won’t be nearly as tiring! Thank you for making me feel part of a community where no one is indifferent, where taking care of your health comes first.”
The program came at just the right time for Angelina Kapitula, a journalist with Bihus.Info. A screening revealed that a mole needed to be removed.
“I’d just started worrying about a mole, and the message about covering medical costs was the extra push I needed to see a doctor. In the end, they recommended removing it. I’m glad I didn’t put it off,” says Angelina.
When there are people beside you ready to help
Ganna Uliura, a literary critic and book reviewer for Suspilne Culture and the outlet Dilova Stolytsia, had a women’s health screening through the program. Having her costs covered let her focus on her health without worrying about the price of the procedures.
“I didn’t have to wonder where to find the money for some fairly expensive tests, because I knew there were people beside me ready to help. This year I turned to Women in Media and received support right away. I’m truly grateful for that,” says Ganna.
Viktoriia Plis, deputy editor-in-chief of the Kharkiv outlet Nakypilo, points out that self-love isn’t only about nice shopping — it’s also about paying attention to a body that withstands demanding schedules day after day.
“In the whirl of work, news, everyday chores, and caring for family, looking after yourself keeps getting postponed, especially when nothing hurts and you’re used to running on sheer willpower. Thanks to the program, I hope to start a habit of getting checked every year. Let’s take care of ourselves now,” Viktoriia urges.
Kateryna Deviatko, a journalist with Gwara Media in the Kharkiv region, also took part in the program.
“It’s easy to put your health off — there are more pressing matters, the expense, or simply not having the inner reserves. Thanks to the program, I was finally able to deal with something I’d been postponing for a year. Thank you for the chance to give myself some time,” says Kateryna.
Yuliia Shablia, editor-in-chief of the outlet Visti Plus in the Poltava region, had a full checkup through the program and bought a blood-pressure monitor. She’d been putting off caring for herself because of her heavy workload and emotional strain.
“We in the media are used to keeping an eye on everything, but we need to be just as attentive to our own bodies. Health is a professional resource, too. Thank you to Women in Media and ECPMF for the chance to stop and think — not about the next deadline, but about myself. Don’t put off your checkups, book those doctor’s appointments, and rest whenever you can. We still have so much left to do,” Yuliia stresses.
The Taking Care of Our Health program was launched in 2022 in response to the challenges Ukrainian women in the media faced after the start of the full-scale war. The initiative was created to help women journalists look after their physical and mental health in time. Over the life of the program, the Women in Media NGO, with the support of its partners, has assisted more than 340 women in the media from across Ukraine.
Feedback from participants in earlier waves:
- “Don’t Put Yourself Off Until Later”: How the Take Care of Your Health Program by Women in Media Supported Media Women This Winter
- “A Community That Cares”: Women in Media Completes Another Wave of the “Take Care of Your Health” Program
- “I feel remembered and supported.” More than 50 Ukrainian journalists benefited from the Take Care of Your Health program by the Women in Media NGO
The Take Care of Your Health program is run by Women in Media NGO as part of the Voices of Ukraine project, which is part of the SAFE program coordinated by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and implemented under the Hannah Arendt Initiative with the support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.