I am a full-time firefighter in Ontario, Canada. I love to be outside mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding and also love to rock climb and do yoga. I am very active and have always had issues with tampons leaking when doing activities or at work.
My one most embarrassing moment was about 14 years ago on the fire ground when I had just started as a volunteer fire fighter and we had a huge barn fire. Of course I was excited to get into action and do my job, but unfortunately I had nowhere to “change” when it was time. So being new I was really embarrassed about asking to go back to the fire hall to help change the empty cylinders of air just so that I could replace my tampon (which I didn’t carry on me in my bunker gear and later learned to be more prepared). I had to say to my captain that I had a “girl issue” so he would let me go.
Fast forward a few years ago when it all changed for the better. Our Fire Department in Waterloo hosted a Female Firefighter Conference, and the DivaCup was there as a sponsor with a booth educating us about the benefits of menstrual cups. I talked to a fellow firefighter who already used The DivaCup and she only had amazing things to say about it. I remember being in awe when she said that she could leave it in for 12 hours. She assured me it was the best thing ever!
I had to try it!
With our job, not knowing when the next call will come and having something that you can trust for an unknown amount of time is priceless. It’s just one less thing you have to worry about at a call. Once I tried it, and after getting used to it for a few months, I never went back to tampons and have never had to worry again about leakage.
Such a great feeling!!
Just recently I climbed and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, and wouldn’t you know it day one of my seven day trek, my period came! But of course I was prepared with the DivaCup on hand and was confident that it would still be the best trip of my life to date. It was refreshing to know I could trek all day and not have to worry about anything with full confidence. The porters on my trek always said: Hakuna Matata, which means no worries, they were right in so many ways.
Supporting local businesses is also very important to me so it was great to know that the DivaCup was a local company in my community. Being an outdoor enthusiast and caring about our environment, it’s nice to know that that I am creating less waste as well.
I want to thank Diva International Inc. (makers of the DivaCup) for allowing women to be able to be confident at the time of the month in anything they pursue. Diva International Inc. is an amazing company that gives back to organizations around the world. I volunteer as a Board of Director for a Not for Profit organization called Mom2Mom Africa and Diva International Inc. has helped support us financially as well as given us cups for some of our girls in TZ.
Thanks again! I hope I have inspired someone to give the DivaCup a try. Trust me you won’t regret it!
Joanne M.
Joanne lives in Collingwood, ON with her husband and daughter. She is a full-time firefighter in Waterloo and a board member of Mom2Mom Africa. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves camping, rock climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking and yoga. Joanne (and friend Laura Bender) recently summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, raising money to build a well for children of Arusha, TZ that Mom2Mom Africa support.
