IN THE PRESS: The painful toll of the 'scandalous' shortage of menopause treatment
Thank you to the Manchester Evening News for producing a insight article on the reality of how the shortages of HRT are affecting high performing women in business and leadership and for featuring my story in such depth.
I couldn’t imagine my life without HRT, which I have to take following on from a total abdominal hysterectomy seven years ago. I wouldn’t be able to lead my companies or live my life without severe symptoms returning, which would have a devastating effect for me, my companies, my team and my clients, so contributing to this article and highlighting the effects it is having on North West female founders, was important for me to bring to the wider attention of the business community.
Here is an exert from the article:
For women like Fiona, who have had a surgical menopause, taking hormone replacement therapy is essential to protecting her body. She compares the situation to someone who has had their kidney removed being left without their medication.
“If you’d had a kidney removed you’d need medication to stay alive and to live normally. I’ve had my major oestrogen producing organs removed so I need that treatment.”
”I have had to deal with the challenges of the menopause seven or eight years ahead of my peer group which has been challenging as well. As a female entrepreneur you’ve got to get back to business and back to business very quickly. The majority of the clients I had were very senior male CEOs. The last thing I could do was go in and say, actually I’m managing the symptoms of the menopause as well. That’s why HRT is so important.
”I think this scenario we are in is fundamentally scandalous and goes to the very heart of the gender health gap and women being treated as less than. The consequences shouldn’t be left in the women’s hands.”
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The MEN published this article on their Facebook site and the conversation continues in depth. Take a look at the comments. What are your thoughts and experiences, do you agree or disagree and what is your reaction to the article?
Has your career been impacted because of menopause?
Menopause is the second most career limiting issue for women. But we need new data from women’s individual experiences to evidence the total impact of menopause on their careers. I’m sourcing feedback as part of my new research and to campaign for change, whilst continuing to build bespoke solutions for working women in menopause based in the evidence from my research.
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Please complete my form below and share your workplace and career experiences with me. It’s anonymous and your personal details will not be shared in any of the research findings or publications. This is critical for working women in menopause around the world, so fill out this short questionnaire and be part of the solution.
Fiona McKay, founder of The Menopause Maze TM programme and online community.
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Women in menopause, and particularly high performing women, want two things - community and specific career coaching in an exclusive safe place that equips them with the tools they need to help them to improve their career health, increase their career wealth and maintain their career momentum through menopause.
And that’s why I set up The Menopause Maze community. Come and be a member of our exclusive group, where you can network with other female leaders, receive discounts to our programmes and career coaching, along with monthly member live Q&A’s with me and world leading experts, as well as access to cutting edge career acceleration resources and insights.