Spotlight on Women’s Health in the Workplace
How BC Women’s Health Foundation is Redefining Menopause
As President + CEO of BC Women’s Health Foundation, Cally Wesson is committed to closing the gap in women’s health. For far too long, women’s health has been under-researched and underfunded, leading to poorer outcomes and reduced quality of life. Philanthropy is a critical way to help close this gap. In her role, Cally oversees the Foundation’s partnership with BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre and the Women’s Health Research Institute, advancing awareness and fundraising efforts. In this article, Cally focuses on menopause, a life stage that touches nearly every woman, and how philanthropy can help redefine it for women in BC and beyond.
Global healthcare systems were not designed to support women’s health, which is why Canadian women currently spend 24% more of their lives in poor health compared with men. BC Women’s Health Foundation has put together an action plan to address this significant gap in women’s health. But philanthropy is essential to drive this change.
One important area where change is urgently needed is menopause and midlife. BC Women’s Health Foundation is leading the way by providing philanthropic funding for several menopause initiatives, including the Complex Menopause Clinic at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, the first of its kind in Western Canada. We’re also helping expand BC’s groundbreaking 2024 HER-BC menopause study into Canada’s largest national study, as well as funding research on menopause, the brain, and the role of physical activity at the Women’s Health Research Institute at BC Women’s.
In the workplace, menopause is highly relevant as one in three BC women are experiencing this life stage right now. Yet, all too often, women in this life stage feel unheard and unsupported. It doesn’t have to be this way. Employers can — and should — take steps to make their workplaces more supportive and welcoming for midlife women.
Our latest research highlights a compelling economic opportunity: In BC alone, $5.1 billion in projected value could be unlocked over the next 15 years through improved workforce participation, reduced absenteeism, and preventative care.
UNDERSTANDING MENOPAUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
There are 30 recognized symptoms of menopause that can impact a women’s health and performance at work, including:
- Physical symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats
- Mood and mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression
- Genitourinary symptoms like urinary incontinence and urinary urgency
- Cognition and sleep symptoms like brain fog, sleep disturbances and slower processing speed
According to the HER-BC Study, many of the women surveyed indicated menopause symptoms affected their job, including how well they could perform at work. One quarter of survey respondents reported missing days of work due to menopause symptoms, and one in 10 reported turning down a job promotion or career advancement due to symptoms.
Canadian employers have an opportunity to better support women by creating menopause inclusive workplaces. It’s an ethical choice that delivers real business benefits. Women in their forties and older comprise one-quarter of Canada’s workforce, often bringing substantial expertise, leadership, and mentorship in the prime of their careers.
Midlife women bring a wealth of experience that employers stand to gain from. Menopause — a universal life stage for women — should never be a workplace barrier.
WOMEN DESERVE MORE MENOPAUSE SUPPORT
BC Women’s Health Foundation believes every woman should have access to support during menopause. Through philanthropy, we’re advancing meaningful change across research, awareness, education, and care in the following areas:
- Funding innovative menopause research programs
- Expanding BC’s groundbreaking menopause study into a national study
- Developing and hosting free menopause-related webinars and online tools women can access anytime and anywhere
- Educating healthcare providers on the latest menopause research and findings
- Creating the new Menopause + Midlife Health Program at BC Women’s
- Making patient care and support more accessible, including at the Complex Menopause Clinic at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
It’s in everyone’s best interest to prioritize women’s health. Let’s be the generation that redefines menopause. You can learn more about BC Women’s Health Foundation and how we’re supporting menopause and midlife health at https://bcwomensfoundation.org/midlife-health/.
This article is part of our Community Spotlight Series initiative. As part of our mandate to champion and celebrate businesses in the Greater Vancouver region, we, as a non-profit ourselves, want to use our platform to shine a spotlight on our non-profit members. Each quarter, we'll recognize a Vancouver-based non-profit that offers programs and services that improve the social and economic well-being of citizens in our community.
This quarter we are recognizing BC Women's Health Foundation. BCWHF is BC’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s and newborn health. It ensures women have equitable access to the highest quality healthcare when, where, and how they need it. Learn more at https://bcwomensfoundation.org/.