In February, I made the difficult decision to switch teams
at PATH from the WASH team to the Reproductive Health team. The decision was precipitated by a number of
uncertainties and difficulties within the WASH team, not the least of which was
the lack of funding. With the help of my
super supportive supervisor, I was able to identify two promising options for
teams at PATH which could potentially benefit from my skill set and expertise. After carefully considering both options and
consulting a number of old colleagues and friends, I decided to pursue the
opportunity with the Reproductive Health team.
The Reproductive Health Global Program at PATH is solid and well-established. The work ranges from the cervical cancer
prevention, to breast cancer research, to the development of new, more
acceptable methods of family planning, to advocacy for safe abortion. After working 100% with team for the last 6
months I am happy to report it was a really
good switch for me.
I think my biggest concern/hesitation of making a topical switch
was wondering if I would be as passionate about Reproductive Health issues as I
am about water and sanitation. After
spending nearly a decade in WASH and pouring a good amount of my heart and soul
into that work, would I be as excited within this new position?! As I debated this, I thought about how lucky
I am to have spent nearly the last 20 years of my life avoiding unintended
pregnancy by having easy and cost-effective access to a variety of family
planning options at more or less the drop of a hat AND in the near absence of oppressive
stigma. And then I thought about women
in developing countries that I have worked in and I thought about how their
choice, options, and means of obtaining contraception must be severely
constrained. Not to mention access to preventative cancer screening such as the ye
ol’ dreaded pap smear that I now feel we TOTALLY take for granted. Needless, to say the new team has opened up my
eyes to a wide-array of public health issues in global reproductive
health. I feel happy and reinvigorated
in the new position and am happy to report the team dynamics have also improved
dramatically. Suffice it to say, Liz
Blanton is much happier in the RH group and you know when I say it in the 3rd
person I really mean it. More about the current trip soon...
