On 20th September 2025, the AFA Conference Room filled with women, allies, health professionals, and advocates for Anguilla’s first-ever Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Seminar, boldly themed “Breaking the Silence on PCOS.” Organised by Brittney Webster, better known as DJ Sweetness, in collaboration with the Gender Affairs Unit and the National Chronic Disease Unit, the event pulled together voices that Anguilla had not heard in this way before.
Among those gathered were representatives from the National Chronic Disease Unit, the Anguilla Family Planning Association, members of the community, and the Hon. Minister Shellya Rogers-Webster.
Opening the morning with heartfelt words, Webster shared not just her gratitude but her own journey of stepping into advocacy. “I suffered in silence for a very long time. I was afraid to become a PCOS advocate, but I decided I would just be open and honest.”
With that, six powerful voices took the stage — each one adding a new layer of understanding, hope, and practical guidance.
First to speak was Dr. Wanda John, who wasted no time in breaking down the science. PCOS, she explained, is a “complex endocrine disorder” with three main features: irregular cycles, excess androgens, and polycystic ovaries that appear like a “string of pearls” on ultrasound. But beyond the textbook definition, Dr. John drove home how PCOS reaches into every corner of the body. From acne and facial hair to infertility, insulin resistance, and the long-term risk of heart disease and even cancer, this is no minor issue.
Treatment, she stressed, must be personalised: whether that’s contraceptives, fertility drugs, or metformin — which she called “a wonder drug” — alongside lifestyle changes. And though underdiagnosed, she closed with reassurance: “Women with PCOS can lead healthy and fulfilling lives. It’s not the end of the world.”
Picking up from where Dr. John left off, fitness trainer, Mandy Herbert brought the discussion into everyday life. Through a simple but powerful metaphor, she described insulin resistance as cells with locks and insulin as the key — except in PCOS, the key doesn’t fit quite right.
Her message? Small steps matter. From lifting weights that make muscles “sponges” for sugar, to choosing breakfasts that balance energy rather than spike it, Mandy gave practical, doable advice. She urged women not to think in extremes: “You don’t have to go and do a whole 360 on your diet… Just make small changes.” And just as Dr. John warned about systemic risks, Mandy tied in sleep and stress, noting: “One bad night of sleep can make your body act like you’re prediabetic.”
If the body was being addressed, so too was the mind. Guidance counsellor, Glynnesia Franklin stepped forward, describing mental health as a garden that also needs care and attention.
She pointed out the staggering statistics: women with PCOS are six times more likely to face moderate to severe anxiety, and up to eight times more likely to experience depression. Her grounding techniques and tools – from exercises to anchor the mind in the present to writing letters to one’s self to process grief – gave the audience immediate strategies to manage the weight of PCOS beyond the physical.
For many, the most visible battle with PCOS is skin. Simonia Williams of QueenSue Beauty Spa didn’t just speak on it — she embodied it as she too spoke from experience. From jawline acne to hyperpigmentation and skin tags, Simonia explained how hormonal imbalance leaves its mark. Her guidance — gentle cleansers, vitamin C, sunscreen, and even simple honey masks — balanced science with accessibility. Yet her real message was emotional: “Your skin does not define your beauty or your worth.”
Perhaps the most moving moment came from Chavonia Gumbs, who gave her lived testimony. From irregular cycles as a teenager, to years of dismissal by doctors, to a diagnosis at 19, her story held echoes of what Dr. John had outlined earlier. But it was her raw honesty that gripped the room.
At times she gave up seeking help altogether. Yet through her struggles with weight, insomnia, fatigue, and depression, she still found tools to cope. Today, she embraces a new acceptance: “If I have children, if I don’t have children I am happy regardless. My life is full.”
Verlyndah Hodge tied the morning together with encouragement rooted in small but powerful acts. “One small step or one small act will create a ripple.” She congratulated the organisers for starting a conversation long overdue in Anguilla. “Keep talking about PCOS, endometriosis and infertility like it’s the hottest gossip in our community until we become comfortable to have these conversations,” she urged with a smile.
The Hon. Minister Shellya Rogers-Webster echoed those words, noting how often women face pressures about marriage or children in small communities like Anguilla, without anyone knowing the silent struggles behind the scenes. “Oftentimes, we deal with things alone. But once we start to speak, we discover just how many people are dealing with the same challenges you yourself are dealing with.”
By the time the final words were spoken, it was clear that this was not just a seminar but the beginning of a movement. And just like Brittney Webster promised at the very start, the silence around PCOS in Anguilla has finally been broken.
