20 women of 2020

23/11/2021

A pleasure and a privilege to be interviewed by the powerhouse Bhakti Mathur for SCMP Health & Wellness.

Cancer made Julia Broad re-evaluate her life: she took up meditation, adopted a largely plant-based diet, and stopped exercising so hard and working all hours, devoting her evenings instead to family and friends.

19/08/2021

Sangeeta, on optimism and finding the bright side - August 2020:

"Every now and then you get sucked into the madness - it’s all bullets and chaos. And to large degree, it is, but something good has to come from this moment. We can’t just be flat-lining into despair. There has to be a moment where you think, “wait a minute: something amazing might be happening right now that is going to save us.”

10/08/2021

The last time I posted here was International Women's Day - March 8th. That was also the day I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. It's such a cliche "Nothing could have prepared me" etc, but my world as I knew it collapsed. I knew it was treatable, or that's what my oncologist said. But I was so very scared and alone. I screamed. I raged. Everything fell away. I called my parents first, like a lost child. And when I was done with them, I called Sangeeta.

This photo was taken last August. In the next few weeks she would board a flight to the UK. We hadn't seen each other since. But she picked up my call and talked me down. I don't remember what was said, but I do remember her kindness and strength soothing me on what was the worst day of my life.

5 months after my diagnosis, I am cancer free. I realise now I had been sick for a long time, but kept pushing, striving, and putting it down to Covid fatigue.

I will never be able to repay Sangeeta, but I can at least finish the story I started.

05/04/2021

I'm sharing this here - because as an advocate for women I cannot in good conscience hide it.

It's long, but please read.

JB ###

I took this photo almost a year ago. I did two shoots that day. I remember doing this with my amazing helper Karen, and my daughter is at screen left. I had put this off for literally years.

I wasn't thin enough, tanned enough, fit enough. I shared this photo for my podcast with the incredible Shooting it RAW. I am proud of this photo, and proud of me for being brave.

I can say, hand on my heart. I have been brave.

Before my MRI on the 26th of March, I had been informed that my best course of treatment was to have a radical hysterectomy. Due to some janky, trauma wiring in my brain I kept repeating to myself as "TOTALLY RADICAL!!!" in a Spicoli-esque surfer patois.

My tumor was estimated at 2cm. I had come to terms with it. I had explained to my daughter that there are healthy and unhealthy cells, and I was going to have those unhealthy cells removed.

That made sense.

I received a phone call on Wednesday evening. I had been calling QMH that day, and if you think you've had an annoying game of telephone ping pong with an airline or phone provider, I see you and raise you. Finally, I was called back and told "The Plan Has Changed".

The tumor is larger than first thought, which doesn't make the diagnosis worse... or so I've been led to believe.

I will be started on radiation and chemotherapy. My hearing test is scheduled for Tuesday, 13th April, the day after my daughter's 9th Birthday. Apparently, chemo can mess with your hearing.

The things we learn.

I'm scared. Really scared. I oscillate between extreme optimism, visualising my tumour shrinking and fading away, to wanting to run away to Australia to my childhood home and saying goodbye to everyone I love.

I'm planning a Fundraiser at my beloved studio in the next month or so - I will be auctioning first edition pieces, but in the meantime, please consider buying my art if you have the means. I always thought my photography would be my legacy, but I now think it's sharing this story, in real time, in realness.

Link to my online store here - https://www.juliabroad.com/artwork

It's not quite finished, but I don't have the luxury of time to make it perfect anymore.

For those of your overseas, my gofundme may be found here - https://gofund.me/9a85c758

JB xx

22/03/2021

What a difference a few days can make. I will never be able to repay Ran Elfassy for his kindness, empathy and encouragement. A prince amongst men.
Listen when you can. And I’ll try to also. ###

*** Don't forget to subscribe! *** * EPISODE LINKS IN DESCRIPTION – BELOW * Sometimes, life throws you a curveball, and it's how you react that can...

08/03/2021

In honour of , I am reviving my dear passion project, and sharing the portraits of the incredible women who welcomed me into their lives in the most challenging year we have seen.

Norbyah Nolasco is a wife, a working mother, a vintage lover, a hoarder of polkadots and other prints, a stylist and a fashion blog writer on the side. Her work ethic, commitment to her family and friends and belief in sustainable fashion are second to none. I am proud to call her my friend, and so very proud to make her my pin up.

07/03/2021

In honour of , I am reviving my dear passion project, and sharing the portraits of the incredible women who welcomed me into their lives in the most challenging year we have seen.

Proud to introduce Regina Larko. To me, Regina is the nexus of Hong Kong connections. Her podcast, is a bi- weekly interview series portraying people making a social impact with their work. We net last September at her beautiful home in Sai Kung surrounded by her beautiful family.

05/03/2021

In honour of , I am reviving my dear passion project, and sharing the portraits of the incredible women who welcomed me into their lives in the most challenging year we have seen.

Presenting Laura Offe, Co-Founder of Meraki Hospitality. Laura and her brother Alexis have been stalwarts of the city's bar and restaurant scene since 2018.

At the time we met in October, fourth wave was looming. We discussed her childhood as a TCK, her love for the industry and seeing Covid affect Uma Nota in both Hong Kong and Paris. She is an inspiration.

04/03/2021

In honour of , I am reviving my dear passion project, and sharing the portraits of the incredible women who welcomed me into their lives in the most challenging year we have seen.

This one gets me - Riya Chandaramani is a Hong Kong born artist. Referencing iconography from both traditional and popular cultures, Riya's art consistently reminds us of how far we as a society have come, and how, in certain areas, we have a long way to go.

It's been a year of laughter and tears. I love you Kiddo. We can do hard things

Her exhibition MILKMADE launches tonight at Young Soy Gallery - details here - https://youngsoy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/riyachandiramani/

03/03/2021

LONG POST - No one saw 2020 in their crystal ball, least of all me. 2020 was meant to be a turning point after the turmoil of 2019, and I wanted to give a select group of 20 women a platform to tell their stories, share their portraits and connect with others.

Long story short, the project was derailed in November, but I never gave up on it.

In the lead up to , I am resurrecting this project – not just for all these amazing women who gave me their time, their stories and faces, but also for me – to reflect on the year that was, and welcome the year to come.

So very proud to introduce Sangeeta Dale, Development Director of Cambodian Children's Fund. We discussed covid, glass ceilings, art, music, travel and what it means to live a rich life.

More to come - thank you all. Love you all to bits, and I wouldn't be doing this without you.

27/02/2021

Thanks to Eleanor for sharing this - yes it’s a few years old, but explains something many women experience. The weight of keeping so many thoughts and tasks in ones head is heavy indeed.

French comic artist Emma introduces the concept of the mental load. When a man expects his partner to ask him to do things, he is viewing her as the manager of their h...

06/01/2021

As we commence online learning once again, a little pep talk for those of us raising strong young women.