IWD Celebrations: When Women Gather, We Change the Future

In one week, six conversations with women restored my faith that a better future is not only possible, it’s also already being crafted one conversation at a time.

The week was bookended by birthdays.

It opened with an 80th birthday dinner with six women spanning generations and career stages. Four hours and endless conversation, roaring laughter, cascading stories, and that feeling of connection that happens around a dinner table when no one wants to leave.

A midweek dinner with a longtime colleague who recently moved to my community, giving us a chance to catch up over life stories, loves, current and otherwise, and swap opinions and ideas about how to improve healthcare and what it means to close one chapter and nudge open the next.

Some of my favourite conversations were working with my women clients. Each holds a range of responsibilities. Whether hospital executives, directors of healthcare associations, or leaders of healthcare teams, all move with commitment, heart, and tenacity. I'm consistently inspired by their depth of care and commitment to make bold, often hard decisions while taking care of the trust and relationships they’ve built.
Several hours were spent with women colleagues partnering to design our work together. I love when our collective experiences come together to shape our approach and push us to keep learning from each other.

Then, an International Women's Day event at a beautiful local restaurant, the room was full of entrepreneurs and leaders, each touching our community in their own skilled and meaningful way. One woman I spoke with stopped me in my tracks. A longtime ER nurse who saw a need and simply decided to fill it by helping people with Parkinson's and neuromuscular conditions to improve their symptoms through spin classes. I loved her story and the reminder that one woman, on fire with purpose and genuine care, can make a significant difference in the lives of others.

The week closed with my own birthday with girlfriends who have shared my life and fumbles for four decades. Another four-plus hours of belly laughter, storytelling, and the kind of unwavering love and friendship that just gets better over time.

We mark International Women's Day on March 8th, and it’s always worth pausing to acknowledge what women bring to our world. But here's the thing: when women get together, something happens. There's an energy, a force. And last week reminded me that this is available to us every single day, in the conversations we seek out with the women around us, already changing our communities and future for the better.