Davina McCall and Michelle Heaton back Sun menopause campaign and calls for free HRT on the NHS
CELEBRITIES and MPs have today backed our Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
For too long millions of women have suffered in silence, unaware it IS possible to have a healthy menopause.
That’s why we launched our campaign, calling for free HRT for all women, employers to put menopause support at the heart of workplace policies and action to bust taboos.
The aim - to help women thrive rather than survive one of the most significant milestones in life.
Hailing the “fantastic” campaign, Davina McCall tells Fab Daily: “Nobody talked about it when I was in my early 40s.
“I thought it was something that happened in your 50s - you got a couple of hot flushes and then you were through it.”
The 53-year-old, an ambassador for , feared she had early onset dementia and said her symptoms gave her flashbacks to battling a heroin addiction.
“I had no idea about the importance of hormones and how much our body needs them,” the mum-of-three adds.
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“Even if you’ve never had a hot flush or anything in your life, every woman at 45 should go and speak to their doctor and talk about it.
“People don’t understand the other symptoms.”
Most people hear the word menopause and assume it’s a few hot flushes, the odd night sweat and the end to your periods.
But the truth is as the hormone oestrogen starts to fall, it can wreak havoc on a woman’s body and mind - impacting physical and mental health.
A dense brain fog, depression, anxiety, irritability, sleepless nights, joint pain and more leave women feeling washed up and redundant.
BREAK THE TABOO
Yet, given the right support and access to the right treatment, every woman can experience a healthy menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective way to treat symptoms and doctors say that for most women the benefits far outweigh the risks.
But a flawed 2002 US study linking HRT to breast cancer has left many women reluctant to take it, and GPs refusing to prescribe it.
What’s more, unlike other hormone treatments like the Pill, women have to pay £9.35 for every NHS prescription they need, leaving many unable to afford it.
Whether through embarrassment or lack of access to treatment, women are left feeling abandoned and ignored.
Here, a host of celebrities and MPs share their support:
Michelle Heaton
“I am supporting Fabulous' Menopause Matters campaign because we talk about periods, we talk about cramps, tampons and all of that jazz, so it's time we talked about HRT and the symptoms of menopause in the same tone. It's a part of life.
“I felt angry that I wasn’t equipped with the information about the menopause and how little help is out there.
“Don’t feel ashamed or like you’ve let yourself down by asking for help.
“We've got an amazing NHS system, if you ask the right questions, you will get the right answers.
“There’s help for everybody in some place, don’t suffer quietly because it can have repercussions later on in life - talk about it like we are now.”
Carolyn Harris, MP
“For far too long, menopause has been a taboo subject within families, in workplaces and more widely across society. And that needs to change.
“We need to see better education – for medical professionals, for our next generation in schools and for everyone through public health messaging.
“Women need to be able to make informed decisions about the best treatment for them and they need to know that support is available to them in all aspects of their lives.
“That is why I am backing this campaign and why I am leading the charge in Parliament for a menopause revolution.”
Lisa Snowdon, Fabulous Menopause Matters ambassador
“I'm so proud to be involved with Fabulous' Menopause Matters campaign because it is hugely important that we get people talking about it more openly and honestly.
“All of us, women and men, need to be armed with more knowledge about the changes that happen to a woman around menopause because it impacts us all, from family and relationships to at work.
“I know myself how tough it can be and I want every woman to feel prepared with knowledge and know that they’re not alone.”
Karren Brady, Fabulous columnist and businesswoman
“Supporting women through the menopause, and it's many, varied symptoms, is not only good for employees, it's good for businesses.
“That's why I'm backing Fabulous' Menopause Matters campaign.
“It's vital we get more people and companies talking openly about women's health issues and ensure the support is there when women need it.”
Jane Moore, Sun columnist
“It's vital we have more candid, myth-busting conversations about the menopause.
“It's an incredibly complex issue that can trigger a host of physical and mental side effects.
“Anything that smashes taboos and urges women to get the help they need should be actively encouraged.
Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that.
Jess Phillips MP
“It is about time that a women's health issue which affects all women is being recognised and talked about; I fully back the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
“I believe women should receive the support and healthcare they deserve when going through menopause.”
Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch
“It’s fantastic to see The Sun and Fabulous raising awareness of the menopause – something which doesn’t just affect women – but will affect men too.”
Nicky Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Cotes
“The menopause affects 50 per cent of our population - often striking at a time when women are holding senior roles in workplaces as well as juggling many other responsibilities.
“And yet it is only very recently that we've begun to talk about the menopause and its impact at all.
“Most of us are left to guess how it might affect us and when.
“We've got a long way to go to change how we view the menopause so an entitlement to HRT, much greater workplace support and breaking down the taboos are great starting points and I applaud The Sun for their Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.”
Dr Philippa Kaye, This Morning GP
“Women will live on average one third of their lives after the menopause.
“I am supporting this campaign so that they can live this third with all the information they need and as happily and healthily as possible.
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“Half of the population are going to have a menopause and the other half will likely know someone affected by it.
“Yet women's health is still considered a taboo, a dirty subject and the menopause as yet another thing that women simply have to get through or put up with.”
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