The McMaster Health Forum will mark International Women's Day Monday with a visit from noted health journalist and physician Marla Shapiro.

The event, organized by the Health Forum's student sub-committee, will feature a keynote address by Shapiro on the media's impact on women's health and wellness. Shapiro is the medical consultant for CTV National News and Canada AM, hosts the show Balance: Television for Living Well and writes a column for the Globe and Mail.

Her talk will be followed by a panel discussion with Pat Campbell, CEO of Echo: Improving Women's Health in Ontario, a provincial organization responsible for promoting equity and improved health for women, Merryl Bear, from the Canadian Women's Health Network (CWHN) and the National Eating Disorder Information Centre, and Shari Graydon, a writer and consultant who works to help individuals and organizations communicate effectively about education, health and social justice issues.

"It's an interesting and timely subject to discuss," said Alyssa Cantarutti, co-chair of the organizing committee. "We don't always realize it, but the media have a great deal of influence over us on health issues."

The second year biochemistry major says that the event is meant not only to raise awareness about International Women's Day, but also to teach the student body about the importance of health policy.

"People need to realize the impact that health policy has on their health care," she said. "We want to bring that to light with in-depth, stimulating discussion."