Kenmore Olympian Cate Cambell has issued a plea for public hospitals to stock up on period supplies for women, as part of her support for a petition to make this mandatory across the country.
Cate took to Instagram to express her frustration over the lack of female sanitary products at the hospitals.
“Did you know it’s not mandatory for Public Hospitals to stock period supplies?” the bemedalled 29-year-old wrote. “This means many women arrive in hospital and are forced to use toilet paper, gauze or nothing at all!
“This is just another example of gender inequality – if men had periods, we would not be having this discussion!”
In March, Share the Dignity, a Sandgate-based charitable organisation that has been distributing sanitary products to various vulnerable communities, presented a petition asking the Parliament to pad up on public health. The group is requesting a Federal policy to mandate free pads across public hospitals.
“While some hospitals do provide period products, it is not mandatory for them to do so. When the provision is managed at an individual hospital level, availability can be limited, and patients have relied on the kindness of doctors, nurses and staff who give pads of their own,” the petition stated.
“Menstruation is not a choice, and women, girls and those who menstruate should not have to worry about how they manage their period at any point, especially when they are sick and vulnerable. Pads should be free and easily accessible in all hospitals for patients who need them.”
The petition has received 53,259 support. The group also shared that the petition has been tabled and referred to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt MP.
Learn more about Cate’s advocacy via Share the Dignity.