Neelam Heera-Shergill is an award-winning speaker, researcher and community leader whose work is reshaping the conversation around health equity in the UK. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cysters, she has spent the past decade challenging the systemic inequalities that continue to impact reproductive, menstrual and maternal healthcare, ensuring that the voices of marginalised communities are no longer overlooked but actively influence the future of healthcare.
Inspired by her own experiences of navigating delayed diagnoses for PCOS, endometriosis and PMDD, Neelam founded Cysters in 2015 to create a space where lived experience could drive meaningful change. What began as a grassroots support network has grown into a nationally recognised organisation, leading pioneering research, influencing policy, supporting thousands of people and working alongside healthcare providers, government and academia to improve outcomes for communities that have historically been underserved.
Alongside leading Cysters, Neelam is a TEDx Speaker, researcher and trusted advisor working across the NHS, universities, health technology companies and the voluntary sector. She is also Director of ReClaim Postpartum, a health technology start-up supporting recovery after Caesarean birth, which secured funding after winning Nottingham University’s Ingenuity Competition for Ethnic Minority Entrepreneur of the Year. Her expertise spans health equity, patient and public involvement, maternity care, community engagement and co-production. A recipient of the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award and named in Birmingham’s 30 Under 30, Neelam continues to use her platform to bridge the gap between lived experience and systemic change, ensuring healthcare is shaped with communities rather than simply for them.
