Co-creating the first-ever PCOS Tour
What makes a gathering meaningful?
A few seeds of connection.
Thoughtful meetings.
Some plans and to-do’s.
Care, lots of it.
Heaps of curiosity.
A desire for wholeness.
When Sasha Ottey, founder of PCOS Challenge, first shared the idea of a PCOS Tour, I felt a quiet spark. The vision was bold, an in-person tour across North America, visiting PCOS clinics and building community. My inner facilitator was already imagining what this gathering could look and feel like.
As someone living with PCOS, I knew the deep impact this kind of gathering could have. I connected with my fellow members of the Patient Advisory Board, and together we began dreaming: yoga classes, nature walks, patient-provider panels, handwritten notes of support. We wanted to create experiences rooted in care and connection.
Over the months, I met some truly incredible people. I was moved by how many providers had been centering PCOS in their work. When I was first diagnosed 15 years ago, the condition was barely spoken about. Now, I hear stories everywhere; someone recently diagnosed, a friend with symptoms, a mother worried about her daughter.
After many calls, brainstorming sessions, and stakeholder meetings, we co-created a roadmap for the Tour. We made stops in Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, New York, and Toronto. Some events were patient-led, others curated by the local clinics. But the heart of each gathering was the same: to raise awareness and weave a community of support.
The challenges were real: time, resources, and budgets. But this wasn’t just a tour. It was a step forward in a growing movement that’s reshaping how we talk about PCOS and women’s health.
When things got hard, I reminded myself: Some changes take time, but some are worth fighting for.
My favorite stop was in Toronto, hosted in partnership with the White Lotus Clinic. We welcomed a panel of healthcare providers who shared their insights with honesty and clarity, honoring the complexity of PCOS with deep care.
The gathering was personally meaningful. The room held a mix of strangers, familiar faces, and a few of my closest friends. It was a curious blend of the known and unknown, comfort and vulnerability.
As a facilitator, we practice noticing and active listening to understand the possibilities in a room. That day, I attempted to practice what Otto Scharmer calls generative listening—tuning in not just to what was said, but to what was quietly emerging. The space felt alive with emotion, inquiry, and unspoken longing.
People spoke bravely:
“Am I not okay? What’s going on with me?”
“I feel so isolated.”
“How do I help my teenage daughter?”
Others offered gentle affirmations:
“You look great.”
“You know this affects so many people in the world.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Thank you for being here.”
And between these words, tight hugs, eye contact that said I see you, offers of help, questions asked softly and bravely, what I noticed most was the desire to connect. I realized that when we make sense of our experience, we feel less alone and more connected. It reminded me of the gifts of such gatherings: healing can happen not just through answers, but also through presence.
People were searching for understanding, and they were searching for hope.
And in that room, for a moment, we found both.
What becomes possible when we really listen to ourselves, to each other, and to what is quietly emerging?
Images from the International PCOS Tour, September 2024, Toronto, Canada. Hosted by PCOS Challenge in partnership with the White Lotus Clinic, featuring a panel of healthcare experts; Dr. Fiona McCulloch, Charlotte Laws, Dr. Jerilynn C Prior, Dr. Tracey Parnell, Dr. Timea Belej-Rak, moderated by Krutika Galgalikar and Sasha Ottey.
