Malia Funk ’13

It was a personal experience with an improperly placed IUD that led Malia Funk ’13 to start The POV, a startup company connecting women and people with a uterus to better, more modern healthcare. She had been working in the industry as a strategy consultant and then in private equity, where she had an insider view into how broken, complicated and expensive the American healthcare system can be, especially for women and other marginalized communities. After being dismissed by multiple doctors about her pain, she decided she could do better for herself and others like her, and The POV was formed.

Malia partnered with a gynecologist who shared similar values and invited her to join The POV as Chief Medical Officer. Since its launch in June 2022, the company has helped more than 2,000 women access the right healthcare providers. Their website provides free educational content in online guides using easy to understand, frank speech (including the occasional swear word) about sensitive topics like “The No B-S Guide to Birth Control,” “What to Expect at Your First Gynecology Appointment” or “Abortion Pills vs. Surgical Abortion.” The content has been downloaded and used by more than 10,000 women.

Malia cites research that says eight in 10 women have reported “medical gaslighting,” similar to what she personally experienced with her IUD, where a doctor downplays symptoms as something else or insists that a patient is imagining them. To combat that, The POV also includes a healthcare directory with vetted, values-aligned providers offering virtual and in-person services. 

As medicine modernizes with telehealth, digital testing and new laws governing medicine, resources like The POV and crusaders like Malia will hopefully make it easier for patients to navigate the complex healthcare system, be heard by their physicians and have confidence in their medical decisions