World Health Day: Celebrating Women, Honouring Mothers, and Supporting Healthy Future

Every year, World Health Day reminds us of what really matters, health, care, and the systems that help people live with dignity and strength. This year’s theme, Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures, is more than a slogan. It’s a call to action to prioritise the health and wellbeing of women, especially mothers, and to ensure that no one is left behind in those critical early moments of life.

As a nutritionist and wellness speaker, this message speaks deeply to me, not just as a professional, but as a father, and a son.

I’ve always been drawn to health. My mum worked as a GP’s secretary, and I grew up hearing conversations about patients, prescriptions, and care. I remember being that curious kid who wanted to know what was really in my food, asking teachers to help me decode nutritional labels. At eight years old, for an assignment I wrote that I wanted to find the cure for AIDS (rather ambitious)  and even then, I remember saying, “I don’t want to wait that long, too many people will have died by the time I’m grown.” That urgency to help, to understand, has been with me ever since.

But my connection to women’s health especially maternal health is rooted in something even more personal.

My mother gave birth to me under incredibly difficult circumstances. I spent the first year of my life in hospital. I struggled to feed, and couldn’t latch, something that’s often dismissed but can have a huge impact on a mother’s mental and emotional wellbeing. Add to that the fact she was a young mum, far from home, navigating life without her family, and it’s not hard to imagine the weight she carried. Two of children had issues latching therefore I experienced firsthand the impact it even has on the bonding process between mother and child.

My mother was resilient. Strong. And she pushed through.

I owe my life to her.

But behind that strength was pain silent, heavy, and never fully healed. My mother took her life and my brothers… that still brings a lump to my throat. It’s why I speak so passionately about mental health, and especially maternal mental health. Because it’s real. It matters. And it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

Group of woman

According to the World Health Organization, one in five women experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth  and many go undiagnosed and unsupported. That’s not just a statistic. That’s someone’s mum, sister, daughter, partner. That was my mum.

That’s why this year’s World Health Day theme matters so much. Because healthy beginnings aren’t just about babies. They’re about mothers, too.

I’ve had the privilege of delivering all three of my children at home through hypnobirthing. No gas, no air, no drugs, just presence, breathing, and power. The mother of my children showed me firsthand what women are capable of when they’re respected, supported, and trusted. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

But not every woman gets that kind of birth or that kind of support.

Too many mothers are still navigating pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood without the care, knowledge, or community they need. And too many carry invisible struggles, quietly trying to hold everything together.

We owe them better.

Here’s how we can start:

• Ask new mums how they are. Not just about the baby. Listen with care and without judgement.

• Advocate for accessible maternal care. From mental health support to nutritional advice, it all matters.

• Normalise talking about struggle. Motherhood isn’t just baby grows and sleepy cuddles. It’s complex, emotional, and sometimes overwhelming.

• Support each other. Whether it’s through shared stories, helping hands, or just showing up.

  
  

This World Health Day, I honour my mother for everything she endured, and everything she gave. I celebrate the mothers I’ve stood beside during birth. And I stand up for all women, especially those who don’t feel seen, heard, or supported.

I support women’s health. Will you?

Let’s make space for real conversations. Let’s invest in care that lasts beyond the delivery room. And let’s work together to create healthy beginnings that truly lead to hopeful futures for every woman, everywhere.

References

1. World Health Organization. (2023). Maternal mortality. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality

   States that approximately 800 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

2. World Health Organization. (2024). Maternal mental health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mental-health

   Notes that 1 in 5 women experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth.

3. WHO & UN Agencies. (2025). World Health Day 2025: Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures [Campaign Brief]. Retrieved from https://www.who.int

   Outlines the focus of World Health Day 2025 on preventing maternal and newborn deaths and supporting long-term women’s health.

4. NHS. (2023). Postnatal depression. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/

   Provides insight into symptoms, support, and prevalence of postnatal mental health issues in the UK.