Exhibit a start to the menopause conversation

“It’s Time to Talk: The Menopause Art Exhibit Opens the Door to a Long-Ignored Topic.”

Menopause is a topic that many women shy away from discussing, but its effects are too significant to ignore. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, menopause costs American women an estimated $1.8 billion in lost working time per year. Yet, there is still minimal funding for research and limited training for doctors in this area.

As a woman who has personally experienced the challenges of menopause, I was inspired to take action and raise awareness about this long-overlooked topic. The Menopause Art Exhibit, which is part of the city of Albuquerque UETF Resiliency Residency program, aims to start conversations, normalize menopause, and help younger women understand what to expect as they enter this phase of their lives.

My own experience of receiving a misdiagnosis from two female doctors and only receiving proper treatment after consulting with a third physician highlights the need for greater awareness and understanding of menopause. Unfortunately, by the time I had the correct diagnosis, my career in higher education had already been disrupted.

It was only after joining a menopause support group on Facebook and attending an education program that I found a sense of community and learned how to better navigate the challenges of menopause. I wanted to create an opportunity for others to have similar experiences, and that’s why I proposed the Menopause Art Exhibit.

This weekend, the exhibit will be at Under Charlie’s Covers in Bernalillo, New Mexio. Through the power of art, we hope to open the door on this topic, and encourage more people to start conversations about it. Employers could also benefit by putting menopause policies in place to support their employees during this phase of their lives.

The Menopause Art Exhibit is just the beginning. By starting the conversation, we hope to increase awareness and understanding of this topic and ensure that women have the support they need during this natural transition in their lives.

Morgan O’Donnell

Rio Rancho