CurarSI – SI Cares: A Soroptimist Approach to Health

This initiative addressed the fact that women often prioritise caregiving over their own health and that diagnostic tools and treatments are still largely based on male data. CurarSI began with a national conference in Milan in May, co-organised with Lombardy Region and Fondazione Onda. Spearheaded by regional officials and healthcare experts, this event became a pivotal moment, making gender medicine a national priority.

Advocacy lay at the heart of CurarSI. Italian Soroptimists forged strong alliances with medical institutions, scientific associations, and volunteer organisations. They promoted a new model of healthcare tailored to women’s needs by:

• Mobilising 70 Soroptimist Clubs across Italy to organise health screenings, conferences, and campaigns focused on women’s diseases, such as breast cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and osteoporosis.
• Conducting free screenings, including innovative radiation-free bone density tests (R.E.M.S.), to directly address prevention gaps.
• Hosting “pink walks” and educational events that empowered communities with knowledge about women-specific health risks and healthy lifestyles.

In total, CurarSI reached over 1,000 women through screening and over 20,000 individuals via outreach activities. It also fostered a new regional alliance against cardiomyopathies and deepened collaboration with Local Health Authorities.

The project combined practical interventions with cultural transformation, shifting public discourse and policy. With its high media profile, grassroots energy, and institutional partnerships, CurarSI reinforced Soroptimist’s standing in both local and national health policy arenas.

In very measurable ways, CurarSI empowered women to take control of their health, improved early disease detection, and helped embed gender-sensitive practices within Italian healthcare. Through advocacy, education, and action, the Soroptimists of Italy have shown how community-led initiatives can catalyse systemic change.