Derbyshire woman takes on super challenges to spread awareness of menopause

A Derbyshire woman who took up open water swimming and marathons during the menopause is on a mission to educate UK workforces about the ‘taboo’ subject.
Diane Evans and life coach Kul Mahay.Diane Evans and life coach Kul Mahay.
Diane Evans and life coach Kul Mahay.

Diane Evans, 55, from Matlock, believes that there is still a long way to go before the menopause is ‘normalised’ and that more needs to be done to spread awareness of the side-effects, which can include hot flushes, anxiety and fatigue.

She said: “Every individual who goes through the menopause will experience different symptoms.

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“I believe that more needs to be done to educate both women and men about the menopause and that should start at a young age, during sex education in schools.”

Diane turned to Derby life coach Kul Mahay for support and guidance and credits the former police chief superintendent with helping to turn her life around.

She continued: “Kul and his team made me feel empowered and I had a massive mind-shift following our meetings.

“He made me realise that age is no barrier to success and happiness and not to compare myself to others.”

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Diane used her new-found confidence to move her well-being business into a new direction and she is now a menopause consultant offering educational workshops, support and coaching to organisations looking to retain female talent.

She has worked with Nottinghamshire Police and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), educating them on how to support their staff during the menopause.

She said: “Self-care is the ultimate care, people really need to start taking better care of themselves.

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“Exercise is proven to help with mental well-being and, for me, was essential during the menopause.

“I took up open water swimming and started training for marathons.

“I wanted to push myself and exercise is a release for me.”

Recently, Channel 4 launched a ‘menopause policy’ for all employees and it believed to be the first media organisation to offer its staff a private, cool and quiet workspace and a range of support and guidance.

The company’s HR team will also have a dedicated menopause champion to assist with this.

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Meanwhile, Diane is looking forward to working alongside Kul as his Ignite Your Inner Potential conference returns to the Riverside Centre near Pride Park, in Derby on Saturday, January 11 where wide range of speakers will share their stories of success

Early bird tickets are available here.