Natasha Henry: Tackling Uterine Fibroids and Advancing Women’s Leadership in Health Equity with Myocurrent - 023

In this episode, Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya talks with Natasha Henry, founder of the health tech company Myocurrent, about her journey from patient to pioneer.

Natasha shares the harrowing personal health crisis that led her to pivot her career and dedicate her life to solving systemic issues in women's health.

For years, her debilitating symptoms from uterine fibroids were dismissed by doctors as "normal," culminating in a terrifying collapse and hospitalization with a critically low hemoglobin level of 2.4.

This traumatic experience became the catalyst for Myocurrent, a patent-pending, AI-powered solution integrating neuroscience to help women manage their conditions by translating complex patient data into an interpretable format.

The conversation delves into the multifaceted nature of leadership and success. Natasha challenges traditional models of leadership, arguing that true leadership is about service.

The discussion also explores the broader societal issues at play, from the historical dismissal of women's pain to the fact that uterine fibroids are a global issue affecting women of all races, a topic from Natasha's upcoming book.

Natasha also speaks on the importance of self-awareness and finding your voice, and how intentional mentorship, not saviorism, is the key to meaningful professional relationships.

This episode is a call to action for listeners to become advocates for their own health and support women-led innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal Crisis as a Catalyst: Natasha's life-threatening experience with uterine fibroids and the repeated dismissal of her pain by the medical system directly inspired her to create Myocurrent.

• The Power of the Patient-Researcher: By refusing to be sidelined and taking ownership of her health journey, Natasha embodies the "patient-researcher" ethos, using her lived experience to drive innovation.

• Leadership is Service: True leadership is not about command and control but about service, a quality Natasha argues women inherently possess.

• Intentional Mentorship Over Saviorism: Effective mentorship is a two-way street. Know what you need, offer value in return, and be intentional about who you invest time with.

Memorable Quotes:

• "I think this objective about leadership that leadership is served. And if women, by default, we know how to serve... You have to stop modeling the men you see. You have to lead in your own way." [26:33]

• "Because something hasn't been done doesn't mean you can't do it, right?" [21:48]

• "I think when it comes to owning your power, it's getting to know who you are. Outside of what the world calls you..." [38:36]

Timestamps:

• [04:39] Natasha shares the personal health crisis that led to the founding of Myocurrent.

• [08:43] The moment of validation after years of dismissal by the medical system.

• [16:35] The mission of Myocurrent: integrating neuroscience and AI for women's health.

• [31:29] Natasha discusses her upcoming book on the history of women's pain being dismissed.

• [37:57] Advice for women on owning their power and being curious.

FAQs:

• What is Myocurrent? A health tech company developing a patent-pending AI solution that uses neuroscience to help individuals manage uterine fibroids.

• Are fibroids only a Black women's issue? No. In the episode, Natasha clarifies that her research shows it is a global issue affecting women of all races.

Connect with Natasha:

• Guest: Natasha Henry, Founder of Myocurrent

• Social: linkedin.com/in/natashahenry

• Company: linkedin.com/company/myocurrent

• Email: natashahenry@nyu.edu