Our Fabulous guest editor from No. 10, Sarah Brown

MOST people know me as the wife of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. But this week I have a new role - as the Guest Editor of Fabulous, the News of the World magazine published today.

Fabulous approached me to edit a special issue, knowing that as the patron of the Wellbeing of Women charity, I am passionate about making sure women get the best medical advice and information.

Pledge

So today, Fabulous launches a campaign to encourage better health for every woman in Britain.

The project started in earnest in April and I have loved every minute of the process.

Having a chance to make the decisions about how an issue will look and feel was fascinating. And who could turn down the chance to shape the magazine that will be read by 5.5 million people.

Me with Fabulous fashion director

I have been working closely with the talented Fabulous editorial team, both from my office in Number 10 and a day in the Fabulous office, to produce an issue that will help raise awareness of vital women's health issues, from cervical cancer to recurrent miscarriage.

I want women to be able to feel confident about themselves and their bodies, to make choices to keep themselves healthy with good food and exercise - as well as make sure they make time for a little bit of pampering.

Women spend a lot of time caring for others: partners, children, friends, neighbours and colleagues. I want women to make sure they add themselves to that list of people to care for. This also means good health checks on the kind of issues that women all too often brush under the carpet, hoping they will just go away.

Dr Hilary's guide to taking charge of your health is essential reading for every woman. Don't ignore signs that there might be a problem 'down below'. You don't have to suffer in silence, and early detection is every woman's best chance of a return to good health.

The WoW Women's Health issue of Fabulous I guest edited.

I've been closely involved in every aspect of the edition. Keeping to the Fabulous formula that has been such a success, I have worked with the editorial team to focus on women's health in all your favourite sections. To be honest it has taken up far more time and hard work that I expected as every detail has been important.

Doing an interview for the cover story was a whole new experience. I picked Jools Oliver, wife of TV and Fabulous chef Jamie. Not only is she gorgeous, she's an inspirational role model for Fabulous readers. She has battled exactly the kind of fertility problems that Wellbeing of Women works to help thousands of women deal with.

Jools invited me to her home to interview her about the agony and ecstasy she has gone through to become a mum of three. Like many women, one of her greatest dreams was to be a mum and when she was diagnosed with PCOS her world felt as though it has stopped. Jools was refreshingly candid about her struggle to conceive with the help of a fertility drug called Clomid. Thankfully the story has a very happy ending with Jools giving birth to her third baby, Petal in April. Baby Petal was actually there at our interview - she is such a sweet and gurgly baby .

What I know will resonate with women trying for a baby - whether it takes five minutes or five years - is that feeling of not knowing whether you will get to hold your own baby and being focused on trying everything possible. It is a feeling that I remember very well, as will many mums around the country.

I also picked five women to tell their emotional but heart-warming stories about their struggle to have babies. What is extraordinary is that WoW has funded research which has helped each of their five different fertility problems. That is why I find WoW so inspirational.

And WoW is not just a supporter of pregnancy and reproductive health research. They are the only research charity funding research in to all aspects of women's health - sexual health, gynaecological problems for women of all ages as well as women's cancers including killers like ovarian and cervical cancer.

One of my favourite features, and possibly the most important in the magazine, is a three-page special written by Dr Hilary Jones. He tackles those women's health questions that should never be avoided and he details the simple health checks that could save women's lives. We all know that most women like a good gossip, but we're often very shy when it comes to our own reproductive and gynae health. This feature will hopefully help women know what is normal and also encourage them to seek help if something's not quite right down below. More information about important health signs and NHS checks can also be found on Dr Hilary's web pages/ And by joining the Friends scheme at WoW you can access even more facts and answers to health problems.

VISIT FABULOUSMAG.CO.UK

HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT

I have long worked closely with a small number of charities that represent my passions for health, education and wellbeing for women and children. For many years I have supported Wellbeing of Women and taken an interest in their research efforts. When Gordon become Prime Minister, I thought I could take on a bigger role and help them grow and expand to reach their potential and so I agreed to be their new Patron in 2007.

Every year I have spoken at their annual women's lunch, invited their wonderful volunteers to Downing Street, and visited regional branches. But I wanted to do something more for them.

The News of the World contacted WoW to see how they could be more involved too, knowing that Fabulous readers would be interested in supporting new research that can save women's lives and a focus on their own health.

And so the idea to devote an issue to WoW was born, and I jumped at the invitation to guest edit. A close partnership has been forged between the magazine and the charity. Both share one aim - to improve the lives of women. Together we want to raise £500,000 to deliver breakthrough research.

WHY I AM PATRON OF WELLBEING OF WOMEN

Since I became Patron of Wellbeing of Women I have looked closely at the research that it supports. In its 60 years it has supported research that today has an impact on many women's lives from pregnancy ultrasound scans to cervical cancer screening.

It is thought that there is no woman in the UK born after 1964 who won't benefit in some way in her lifetime from some aspect of the health service in which WoW played a part supporting early research. I am both amazed and very grateful for that and want to see the charity do more.

Today some of the finest scientists around the country who are working on vital medical research are funded by WoW. This is research that could well hold tomorrow's breakthroughs and life saving discoveries.

These researchers work tirelessly to improve the lives of the one in two women who will have a gynaecological problem, the one in four pregnancies that end in miscarriage, and the thousands of women a year who are diagnosed with ovarian or cervical cancer.

What sets WoW apart is that they are the only UK charity that is focused on ALL of women's health research across all ages and stages of life.

WHAT WILL BE ACHIEVED?

With the half a million target set by Fabulous, the fund aims to help young women dealing with chronic gynae issues like PMS, endometriosis and PCOS; those determined to get pregnant and have a healthy baby; and women affected by ovarian or cervical cancer.

And we want to listen to you. Fabulous readers will help decide how the money is spent. Fabulous has already generously pledged £10,000 to the cause to kick it off.

I've had a wonderful time in the editor's chair and found the experience rewarding. I have loved engaging with such inspirational women, and really enjoyed my time exploring the fashion cupboard.

But what I hope shines out from this week's pages of Fabulous is how much you can do for yourself to stay healthy - I hope you enjoy this week's edition and would love to hear what you think.

VISIT FABULOUSMAG.CO.UK

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