She was 32 when she learned she has three holes, not two.
Nobody told her. Help us make sure the next generation doesn't have to wait. Every gift is matched, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, by the Don't Look Away Fund.
Be one of the first to double your gift.
$50,000 becomes $100,000
How old were you when someone finally explained how your body works? Did anyone tell you at all?
In June 2026, Steph, 32, joined our Cycle Awareness Program at Tomorrow's Women on the Wirral, just across the River Mersey from Liverpool, England.
She is not the exception. Most of us were never taught how our own bodies work. We learn about our cycles from rumours, embarrassment or pain, and we pay for it in our health, our confidence and our work.
42% of US teens who menstruate felt confused and unprepared when they got their first period (PERIOD and Thinx, 2023).
"As an auntie, I want the girls in my life to know this much sooner than I did."
— Steph
It doesn't have to be this way. When children learn the words for their bodies early, and women get the knowledge they were never given, everything changes: how they care for themselves, how they speak to their doctor and how they raise the next generation.
I was 32 when I found out I have three holes down there, not two. Nobody had ever explained it to me. Now I track my cycle, I pay more attention to myself, and I feel confident talking about my health, with my friends and with my doctor.
— Steph, 32, Wirral
The match
Every gift is matched, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, by the Don't Look Away Fund.
Will you give $100, $500 or $1,000 today? It becomes $200, $1,000 or $2,000. Whatever you give is doubled.
Double my gift"Education changes everything, including what we know about our own bodies. Period Reality is closing a gap no woman should have to live with. I'm proud to match every gift."
— Our match funder
What your gift could do
We are a small charity and gifts like yours keep our books in classrooms and our Programs running. Gifts are unrestricted, so we can put every dollar where it does the most good.
Double my giftWhy this matters
- 78%
78% of US teens say they are taught more about the biology of frogs than the human female body in school (PERIOD and Thinx, 2023).
- 45%
In a 2019 YouGov poll, 45% of British women could not correctly label the vagina on a diagram.
- 10%
Endometriosis affects around 10% of women (and an unknown number of trans men and non-binary people) (WHO, cited in BS ISO 45010:2026). In the UK, it takes an average of 8 years and 10 months to get an endometriosis diagnosis (Endometriosis UK, 2024). Knowing what is normal is the first step to getting help.
Our impact and track record
The Woo Cycle.
A hand-illustrated children's book for ages 4–8, published in July 2026. It gives children the words for their bodies before shame does. So far, 174 copies are in homes, classrooms and libraries in 9 countries, including the British Library.
Cycle Awareness Programs.
Four 90-minute sessions for a small group of women, run with a community partner, plus training for the partner's staff. Women learn how their cycle works, how to track it and how to speak up for their own health.
A global movement.
Since 2020 we have run Programs in the UK, Kenya and Morocco. In 2024 we convened the first Cycle Awareness Summit in Nairobi, with 75+ leaders from 40+ organisations, and ran sessions with 290+ girls in Kibera and at the Dagoretti Rehabilitation Centre.
What participants tell us
After our Tomorrow's Women Program, every woman who completed our survey said her understanding had gone from "basic" to "strong".
On our Our House Program in 2024, 5 of 6 young women aged 18–24 reported improved mental health, all six built meaningful friendships, and 5 of 6 felt better equipped to advocate for their own health.
"Every human needs this information. It is essential."
— Participant, Tomorrow's Women, 2026
"This program gave me friends that won't judge me."
— A young mother, Our House Program, 2024
Ways to give
Please give today and thank you. Every gift is doubled, up to $50,000.
- Give online.
- Card, PayPal or bank transfer, in dollars or pounds.
Double my gift - Giving from a US foundation or donor-advised fund?
- We hold an equivalency determination, so you can grant to us as you would to a US public charity. Email us for our certificate and bank details.
- Giving from the UK?
- Give online or by bank transfer.
- Thinking about a larger gift?
- Let's talk.
Book a call with Marlou
Our supporters
Thank you to everyone completing the match.
[Names of supporters who opt in]
Questions
Is my gift really doubled?
Yes. Every gift is matched dollar for dollar, up to a total of $50,000.
Who is the match funder?
The Don't Look Away Fund.
Where does my money go?
Gifts are unrestricted, so we can use them where they do the most good: books in classrooms, programs for women and the small team that delivers them.
Can I claim a US tax deduction?
If you give through a US foundation or donor-advised fund, yes, through our equivalency determination. Gifts from US individuals directly to us are not tax-deductible in the US. Email us and we'll find the best route for you.
Will I get a receipt?
Yes, by email, straight after your gift.
Can I give anonymously?
Of course. You choose whether we thank you by name.
What happens after 31 December?
We will tell every supporter what we raised and what the money is doing first, in January, and again in the spring.
Will you give $100, $500 or $1,000 today? It becomes $200, $1,000 or $2,000. Whatever you give is doubled.
Double my giftQuestions? Email nobodytoldus@periodreality.org
Period Reality is a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1205868.