Menopause cafes across the country can 'end the silence and break age-old taboos' 

A Channel 4 documentary, fronted by Davina McCall, helped get women talking about the menopause.

A former nurse from Waterford is hoping to extend the concept of menopause cafes across the country to support and empower women, of all ages, going through this life-changing transition.

Over the past week, dozens of women took to the national airwaves to talk about hormones and the sometimes-devastating impacts of the menopause – the end of menstrual cycles and a dramatic change in reproductive hormones.

Among them was Breeda Bermingham, a social entrepreneur and former nurse, who started up a menopause cafe in Waterford two years ago and hopes the concept will take off and fill the information and support gap that exists.

Describing menopause as the “reverse of puberty”, she said it can often creep up on women during the pre- or perimenopause phase: “What has happened with menopause is that we have no information, no preparation, no education and then we land in it and many women hit a wall and don’t know what is happening to them when they are in perimenopause”.

Since Covid-19 struck, Ms Bermingham has been running free monthly virtual cafe events on Zoom, attracting hundreds of women across the country: “I would love to see these cafes all over the country when society opens up so that women can come in and talk and support each other”.

As heard on RTE’s Liveline in recent days, for some women ‘the change’ can arrive before their mid-life years, while it may be medically-induced for others due to cancer treatment or hysterectomy.

The impacts, however, were shared, as women spoke of the toll it took on their physical and mental health on a daily basis, often for years.

Menopause awareness campaign

A Channel 4 documentary fronted by Davina McCall also got the nation talking, as  Taoiseach Micheál Martin signalled his support for a national menopause awareness campaign following a proposal by TD Niamh Smyth.

I'm seeking a public awareness campaign to break the taboo, to break the stigma of speaking about #menopause.@NiamhSmythTD #womenshealth #menopausesupport #menopauseawareness pic.twitter.com/HFMQ4EPpoF

— Fianna Fáil (@fiannafailparty) May 14, 2021

The Irish Menopause Facebook group has also mounted a petition for better supports from the Department of Health.

Ms Bermingham, who will publish a book on the menopause this October, said fear, shame, denial and silence were the key themes to emerge from her academic research but that the narrative was now shifting.

“Opening the conversation on RTE’s Liveline for seven days is a start in removing the massive taboo around this time in life,” she said.

“There is a new story to be told and that we need to embrace as mid-life women. Yes, there is a loss, but there is a whole new chapter full of opportunities, second chances, and empowerment,” she added.

A national campaign, the 55-year-old said, would be welcome to arm women with information on what supports and options, such as hormone replacement treatment, are available.

The UK, she added, has been leading the way on the issue for two years, where about 10% of workplaces now have menopause policies in place.

The next menopause cafe event takes place on May 26 – check here for more information.