Takiwā Poutini Menopause Event Success
Over 250 women turned up on Wednesday October 30th, 2024, to talk about menopause at a free Greymouth event.
Let’s Talk Menopause was organised by Poutini Waiora, West Coast Health and Takiwā Poutini to provide information for anyone going through or who will go through menopause, Takiwā Poutini Programme Manager Vicki Roper says.
“We decided the event was needed after talking to women around the West Coast last year about wellbeing challenges. It can be difficult accessing good information about menopause, and it’s something that has not been talked about much,” she says.
Local health professionals presenting at Let’s Talk Menopause included Te Whatu Ora Obstetrician/Gynaecologist Vicki Robertson, Pharmacist Kerri Miedema, Counsellor Nicky Searle, Physiotherapist Sue Donaldson, health screening practitioners Janet Hogan, and Nyoli Waghorn-Rogatski, Māori Nurse Practitioner Angela Orr, NZ Registered Dietician Alisa Duncan, and Sport Nutritionist and Personal Trainer Maggi Forsyth and Whānau Ora navigator Buffy McKinnon.
Presenters shared information about symptoms, body changes, impact on mental health, symptom management (physio, nutrition, exercise, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical); various aligned screening programmes; culminating in a panel Q&A discussion.
“It was a great evening where quality information was shared, great questions were asked and conversations were started. We were so impressed with the number of registrations and interest in this event - in the end we had 290 registrations. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We will look at how we might support similar future events in other parts of the Coast,” Ms Roper says.
She wanted to thank all the organisations and companies who had backed the event.
“It was really an example of the community coming together to address a need, and we really appreciate the support.”
Resources and information from the event, including videos of the presenters' talks are available on the Takiwā Poutini website.