We met in tech banking in demanding roles both quietly living with chronic conditions. Nuzi was 20 years in still learning to live with an autoimmune condition. Sophie managed migraines that usually struck without warning. We were good at our jobs and even better at hiding how much energy it took to get through some days.
We quickly bonded over our shared challenges (and shared determination!). Our healthcare system was not built with our bodies in mind. Women's symptoms get dismissed more often, diagnosed late (if at all), and studied less. We experienced this first hand, struggling to find doctors who fully listened, thoroughly examined us, and truly cared.
Our lifeline was other women like us. Looking for a new OB-gyn? That’s a DM from a friend. Asking about acupuncture and looking for a referral near you? That’s a text thread with co-workers. Need a pelvic floor therapist post-partum? That’s a chat in a local mom’s group.
Unfortunately, all of this valuable medical information doesn’t live in a directory or a public forum. It is scattered across private conversations and small communities, inaccessible to and unknown by most women.
That’s why we built Noor. It means light in our respective native languages. Noor is where that information lives out in the open. It’s where women find health practitioners through real experiences shared by other women like them. It’s where women tell their stories and impart their knowledge. It’s where every woman's journey lights the way for the next.
-Nuzi & Sophie
