Dedicated women coming together to work towards women’s health.

Soroptimist International of La Jolla (SILJ) is an organization that is known for acting upon community needs. The concern of the group about women’s health led them to take action, especially upon the common practice of not including female subjects in the clinical trials taking place at the time and the outcome for women when facing illness.  Their mission became VERY clear:  get women’s health on the radar.

The premise under which the Foundation was created in 1995 still remains:  to get students excited about a career in research.  By awarding grants to students who were involved with scientific mentors, there was a guarantee that women’s health issues would be addressed at the most basic level:  research.

Soroptimist International of La Jolla (SILJ) has been supporting the  scholarship program EVERY year for the past 20 years.  “We are very proud of the men and women who have participated; very proud of our group’s involvement in helping the Doris Howell Foundation into making it a growing organization”, comments Carol Tuggey, past president of SILJ. “I am really concerned about women’s health and the responsibility of it” Patty Welborn recalls Dr. Howell telling her when they met over a glass of beer.   And THAT was the beginning of 20 years of working towards women's health.

A strong vision, intellect, education and thinking outside the box was —and still is what holds the Doris A. Howell Foundation together.   As of today, the organization has granted 206 scholarships worth a total of half a million dollars and has embraced new women's health research programs:  it has launched its Community Engagement Initiative just recently funding its 3rd grant award,  and has held 4 Health and Happiness events; a program that was also launched in 2012.

Women's health starts with research and ends with education.  The need to bring awareness to the latest in health for women for them to become their own health advocates is what drives the Doris A. Howell Foundation to continue its work.

So stay tuned!  2016, here we come!

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About the Doris A. Howell Foundation:

The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research is committed to keeping the women we love healthy, advancing women’s health through research and educating women to be catalysts for improving family health in the community.

The organization does so by funding scholarships to scientists researching issues affecting women’s health;   providing a forum for medical experts, scientists, doctors, researchers, and authors to convey the timely information on topics relevant to women’s health and the health of their families through its Lecture and Evening Series, and by funding research initiatives that will create women’s health awareness and advocacy in the community.    

For more information about the Doris A. Howell Foundation, please visit www.howellfoundation.org. 


                                                                    
About Soroptimist International of La Jolla:

Soroptimist’s mission is to improve the lives of women and girls in our own communities and around the world through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.  Soroptimists focus on a set of common goals: 

• To strive for human rights for all people and, in particular, to advance the status of women.
• To develop interest in community, national and international affairs.
• To develop a spirit of friendship and unity among Soroptimists of all countries.
• To maintain high ethical standards in business and professional life.
• To contribute to international understanding and universal friendship.
• To develop the highest concept of patriotism.