The Coast’s Best-Kept Secret

When Sara Foster sat in the waiting room of the Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC) as a scared, pregnant teenager over 20 years ago, she never dreamed she would be returning two decades later as its CEO.

Taking on the role in June last year, Sara saw the opportunity to lead the largest provider of women’s health services on the Central Coast as a chance to give back to the organisation that had offered her support, care and respect at a time she needed it most.

“It was a really hard time in my life, but the Centre gifted me with three remarkable things: access to information, a non-judgmental ear, and connection to support —together, these things empowered me to make the right decision for me, my life and my baby. This organisation truly changed the trajectory of my life,” says Sara.

“But my story is just one story, and it is not unique. Every day, women come to our centres for support as they navigate complex, traumatic, and often life-threatening situations.”

With an almost 50-year history on the Central Coast, CCCWHC may have grown considerably over the past five decades, but it hasn’t lost its purpose of women helping women to create safe and healthy futures for all women and girls on the Central Coast.

“We refer to ourselves as the Coast’s best kept secret,” says Sara, “because when the Centre was first founded in 1976, women’s health and issues such as domestic, family and sexual violence were still taboo and considered ‘secret women’s business.’

“We exist due to the courage and sisterhood of an extraordinary group of women who created a safe space for women to come for support, medical treatment and a sense of community, who faced widespread community opposition and at times risked their own safety and reputation to help vulnerable women in our community.”

Today, CCCWHC continues this ethos to provide affordable women’s healthcare services via qualified GP’s and nursing staff including pregnancy choices counselling, cervical screening, STD screening, gynaecological issues management, perimenopause and menopause support, and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTOP)’s.

Last year, CCCWHC helped close to 3,000 women and their children on 8,815 occasions through its women’s health and community nurse clinics, counselling and casework, and therapeutic and social groups, across its three centres located at Wyoming, Wyong and Woy Woy.

“It’s no secret that the Central Coast has one of the highest rates of domestic, family, and sexual violence in NSW, and these are primary presenting issues for women accessing our service,” says Sara.

“This crisis affects not only the women and children who endure it but ripples through families, friends, and our broader society. These women are our friends, neighbours, sisters, aunts, mothers, and daughters — they are a part of our community, and they all deserve a safe and healthy future.

“Our team of specialist counsellors and domestic, family and sexual violence caseworkers allow women to be supported in all aspects of their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

“We also offer a free childcare service for children aged five years and under to women attending appointments or groups at our centres, because we know that limited and unaffordable childcare options is often a barrier for women to access the support and services they need.”

In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, we hosted an inclusive lunch event at Little Miss Mezza in West Gosford. It was an inspiring afternoon celebrating women and in support of the Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC) with the proceeds of the day being donated directly to them.

Check out the gallery of images from the day, taken by @social.butterfly.management by clicking here.

If you need to access support, services or would like to make a donation visit their website.

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