Jerilynn C. Prior BA, MD, FRCPC
These are momentous times—of uncertainty and fear, and a shifting of world political power as we have known it.
It is time to pay attention. To fight for what we believe. As disgusting as politics may sometimes be, it is not time to turn off, nor to give up. It is time to fight for what we believe—for our democratic system, for libraries and universities, for science, for support for those with less, and for more equality in income rather the relentlessly increasing wealth of the already wealthy. Election spending laws matter. Multiple views and voices are essential.
Slowly over decades and even centuries, women+ have eked out value in Western culture. We have finally become persons, not simply slaves to male will. We have gradually gained control of our bodies and the ability to make the decision whether or not to carry a pregnancy to term. We must preserve this necessary and hard-won position of women+ in our society. To do that, we need to #DemandBetterToday.
With women+’s increased influence has come a concern for those who are disadvantaged, for those who struggle to find the basics of food and shelter. Also, gradually, first as individuals and then in many countries, we’ve learned to recognize gender diversity, to demand equity and inclusion, to stand up for Indigenous Peoples in Canada and to value diversity in people, in nature and the many cherished ecosystems on our planet.
In these difficult times, as our leaders, mostly heterosexual men who are already secure and well off, seek to allay fear (or use it for their own objectives), we must remember what is of true value. Stoking fear and anger is not a way to lead. It is not a way to obtain votes; except from those who believe in conflict and tariffs as ways to create more personal wealth. Without our perceiving it, the political centre has moved far to the right, according to Professor Heather Cox Richardson of Boston College.
The additional concern in these times of change is what is missing from the interviews and conversations. I’ve listened carefully. No leader on the Canadian campaign trail, except Elizabeth May of the Green Party of Canada, is even mentioning climate change and the universal civilization-wide threat as our planet relentlessly warms. As Canadian-American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell sang in 1970, “We don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone.”
Now is time to save more precious and carbon absorbing environments—not to pave and to pump. We must lean in to save civil society and the universal rights to clean air and water. Now is a time for action and engagement as the David Suzuki Foundation urges.
As I look ahead, it is with mixed emotions. I will be retiring from my UBC Professorship this July and transitioning into the role of Professor Emerita. While this marks the end of an era for me personally, I remain committed to continuing CeMCOR’s work as a volunteer. We pledge—for as long as I am able—to continue monthly CeMCOR newsletters and to answer the many urgent and complex ‘Ask Us’ questions that pour in daily. Although we will no longer have the active research centre we once did, CeMCOR’s studies continue into early 2026–including the just-started, unfunded, medical student-led Menstrual Cramps Ibuprofen Therapy Study plus the Endometriosis and Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) Activity Study–with both studies currently recruiting participants.
For over two decades, CeMCOR has advanced groundbreaking, evidence-based research on menstrual cycles, ovulation and progesterone and made this knowledge freely accessible to women+ and health professionals around the world. At almost 82 years, and after all the energy, resilience and the salary I’ve invested in women+’s reproductive health over more than four decades, I’m deeply disappointed that none of the organizations with which CeMCOR is associated value it sufficiently to preserve it.
We’ve also listened to your feedback, and I’m happy to share that a completely redesigned CeMCOR website will launch next month in honour of our 23rd anniversary. This updated site will make it easier to access our latest research findings, study updates, and informative research-based health articles. This website initiative is funded through a combination of limited annual spending from CeMCOR’s endowment fund, ongoing book sales, and Mitacs-supported internships for design students.
As we move into this new chapter, I am calling on CeMCOR’s community–those who have benefitted from or believe in our mission–to help sustain this vital work through donations. Ongoing funding is essential to keep the new website maintained and updated, so CeMCOR can continue to serve as a trusted, practical menstrual cycle and women+’s resource for years to come!