Do you want to tell your story? We want to help you share it.

Please read this form to see if your story is a good fit for our Real Women, Real Stories.

HealthyWomen’s Real Women, Real Stories are first person essays documenting the lived experiences of active duty servicewomen along their health journeys. If selected, you will have the opportunity to tell your personal story to a professional writer who will handle it with sensitivity and care and present it to our audience in an “as told to” format — and you can always remain anonymous if you’d like.

The best stories focus on your experience, your journey — your truth. They can be about a general topic (“How I advocate for my health in a male-dominated profession”) or focus on a particular aspect of a topic (“My misdiagnosis led to an unnecessary medevac”). The essays allow you to share your story, which can often be healing. And, best of all, they show other women they’re not alone in their health struggles while  educating our audience of other servicewomen, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers, about the actual experiences of real active duty women. They often inspire our readers with hope that it’s possible to live well and advocate for your health while serving in the military.

We’re looking for a clear and compelling narrative, told in a conversational tone. Your story should focus on your personal experience, rather than trying to dispense general or medical advice. Please read recent examples of Real Women, Real Stories here before submitting yours. Find inspiration in Angel’s story about overcoming mental health stigma or Kimberly’s story of her misdiagnosis of hemorrhoids.

If you have a story you’d like to share, please complete the form below, and remember, you can remain anonymous. Thank you for your courage — and for contributing to our community!

Subjects must not be promoting a product or company, including their own. 

By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these terms of use.