Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (Born: 15 Apr 1452 in Italy, Died: 2 May 1519 (67 years), was an Italian painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor and architect. He was educated in Florence by the Italian painter and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio.

Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) is the new name for the condition previously known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which impacts 1 in 8, or more than 170 million women worldwide. www.mchri.org.au/wp-content/u... mchri.org.au/wp-content/u...

It was wonderful to catch up with you this week, Aziza. A big thanks for the keyring gift. Please support Aziza’s amazing work to fund Menstrual Health Workshops in Sierra Leone to empower women and girls with the knowledge about their menstrual health. www.talkswithdrsesay.com/shop

Please participate in the survey if you can or share with those who may be interested. Thank you for contributing to this research 🙏🏼. gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

PCOS affects many of the patients we see, yet care is often inconsistent. Evidence in this field continues to evolve and PCOS will be known as PMOS now. I’ll be speaking at PCOS TIME 2026, a course focused on improving diagnosis, management and patient outcomes.   📅 21–22 May | Online

big Thank you! International Nurses Day 2026 A big shout out and Happy International Nurses Day to all our nursing colleagues and friends who always go above and beyond to deliver the best possible care to their patients!

Here is an observational study from Honea et al. which examined the effects of early- and midlife exposure to ovarian hormones - via hormonal birth control (BC), menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)- and their timing on brain health in older women.

Mother’s Day is celebrated today in some countries across the world. We decided to make a hand picked flower 🌺 wreath to thank Mummy for all that she does for us ❤️. You mean everything to us, Anu

It was a wonderful experience attending and speaking at the ‘Don’t Pause for Menopause’ symposium in October last year. The meeting brought together so many people working hard in Women’s Health space to improve menopause experiences for others.

Here is a qualitative study as part of the MARIE WP2a project which explored the lived experiences of perimenopause/menopause among Ghanaian women (18-99). The study used in-depth, semi-structured interviews in community and hospital based settings across Ghana.

Happy 100th Birthday 🎂, Sir David Attenborough! You are our true superhero. Thank you for everything you have done for science 🧬 and the environment 🌍

A big thank you to so many healthcare professionals who joined today on the ‘Menopause and Cancer CPD Webinar: Managing Menopause After Breast Cancer’.

It was wonderful to explore Milton Chantry & New Tavern Fort at the Fort Gardens in Gravesend today. We explored items relating to the heritage of the borough in the oldest building in Gravesend & the 18th century fort! www.visitgravesend.co.uk

Taking place on the first Sunday of May, International Dawn Chorus Day is the worldwide celebration of nature's greatest symphony 🎶. It's a celebration of the incredible chorus of birdsong that greets the sunrise each spring. Which bird 🦜 song did you hear today?

Here is a survey from Menopause and Cancer CIC (not-for-profit) designed to gather insights from individuals (age 18-30) who have experienced both menopause and cancer with the aim to better understand the unique challenges faced by this community.

We discussed in details about menopause, fibroids and endometriosis in the MREF education day today. Here is a very useful and timely editorial from Shant Apelian, Peter Chedraui and Hugh S. Taylor. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

This will be our 5th Menopause Research and Education Fund Menopause 101 online course. A big thank you to hundreds of healthcare professionals who have joined us today from across the world (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America) to learn more about supporting women through their menopause journey

In this webinar for healthcare professionals on ‘Menopause - PCOS, Hirsutism, and Hyperandrogenism’, we will discuss a practical, case-informed approach to assessing and managing women presenting with features of androgen excess during menopause transition. Do join us if you can 🙏🏼

Earth Day 2026 was celebrated on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with the theme "Our Power, Our Planet". The campaign focuses on accelerating the transition to clean energy & empowering communities to combat the climate crisis. Some actions to reduce our impact on environment www.un.org/en/actnow/te...

The Gravesham Scouts Association St George’s 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Day Parade 2026 this afternoon. Knights, stilt walkers and lots of community spirit!

All medical interventions come with benefits, side effects and potential risks. Robust scientific research determines what the likely true benefits of the intervention are (versus temporary/placebo effects), who is likely to benefit and how benefits compare with side effects or risks.

Do join us on 2nd October for the RCOG Female Reproductive Endocrinology course. This online event focuses on crucial topics in female reproductive endocrinology across the life course. Register using the link or visit RCOG website & search for courses/events. rcog.eventsair.com/female-repro...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in women is frequently underdiagnosed & undertreated, particularly during midlife when neuroendocrine changes of menopause transition can exacerbate or unmask underlying symptoms. Here is a useful narrative review from Dora Wynchank and Sandra Kooij.

Please do participate or share information about this research study about views and use of commercial products to improve symptoms of menopause. This is for anyone who is experiencing symptoms of perimenopause/menopause. app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/oxford/the...

On Sunday, Dr Sarah Ball will be running the London Marathon to raise money for the Menopause Research and Education Fund. Her driving reason- mental health and menopause - the impact of which she sees everyday in clinical practice. Please support 2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/ccp/53e05/fu...

Here is a Phase 2, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of 2 Doses of Vipoglanstat in Patients With Moderate to Severe Endometriosis-related Pain - the NOVA Trial.

Thank you British Library for a magical adventure in the new interactive exhibition 🧚 ‘Fairy Tales’! We absolutely loved the story-telling, pop-ups and artwork. Discovered many tales which were new to us! Time to get 📚 reading!

Here is an interesting study from Allison Eubanks and Katerina Shvartsman that evaluated the role of social media in promoting menopause-related supplements and assessed the evidence supporting their efficacy and safety through observational content analysis of public Instagram posts

Lucky to witness the vibrant annual Vaisakhi procession, from Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara through the town centre & back today. The Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara is situated in the town of Gravesend, Kent. It is the largest Gurdwara in Europe and also one of the largest outside India.

Here is a study from Kami Abdullayev and Prof Aimee Spector from University College London looking at experiences of menstrual symptom management in primary care in the UK. Here is the link and clinician/patient posters - qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_... Please participate or share widely 🙏🏼

Join us next Tuesday in the free clinical webinar organised by The Menopause Consortium (TMC) who are committed to supporting clinicians with evidence-based, practical education in women’s health. Topic - Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopause including novel NK3 receptor antagonists

Thank you blueprint.arts for an excellent spring camp full of fun activities at Springhead park primary school this week. Lots of games, arts 🎭, crafts 🎨 and story-telling but our favourites were the wreath making and the bird 🐧 decorations. A bit thank you to Ella, Olga, Chloe and Laura as always

Santus Circus 🎪 never disappoints! A French family run circus 🤡 that has toured the UK for over 35 years and been in the circus industry for over 6 generations. Our favourite act - the insane physics of the "Globe of Death"! Featuring 3 motorbikes! ❤️ Gravesend

Thank you “What on Earth” magazine 🙏🏼for featuring Varda’s World book day costume. We loved it 😍📚

March was endometriosis action month. Just as we move on from it, here is an important study from Milla Sipilä and team that highlights current trends in HRT following endometriosis.

Yesterday’s afternoon menopause clinic learning was extra special with all trainees/colleagues being pharmacists specialising in women’s health and seeing women in their areas of clinical practice day in and out. There is so much one can mutually learn between disciplines.

It has been a wonderful 10 days for space 🚀 exploration! NASA’s Artemis II mission has successfully sent four astronauts sweeping around the far side of the Moon 🌖 and landed them safely back home 🌍.

A team of researchers at University College Dublin's Body Lab are recruiting participants for an important study on the menopause transition. This research explores how women experience their bodies and emotions during perimenopause and postmenopause.

In the current climate where there is immense pressure on healthcare resources, patient support groups and charities are playing a vital role in getting closer to the goal of reaching everyone.

Thank you Blueprint Arts 🎭 for a wonderful and unique dining experience - ‘Taste of Gravesend Food Treasure Hunt’ today! We loved working through the clues 🕵️ and the music 🎶 and picnic 🧺 at the end.

Menopausal symptoms including vasomotor, non-vasomotor and genitourinary can significantly impair quality of life and adherence to therapy. Do join us on this webinar if you can - www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cpd-webina...

It’s time for our next Midlife Matters meeting! We started these short menopause webinars during the COVID pandemic and we are 6 years on and running……. Come along, share your experience, ask questions - everyone is invited.

Yay! Varda’s photography exhibition at the St George’s Arts Centre will now be running for an extra week until 12th April 2026! We cannot thank the team at Arts and Culture Gravesham Woodville and Gravesham, council enough for all their support and encouragement.

This qualitative study formed part of the MARIE-Brazil chapter as part of work-package (WP)2-a to investigate perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal experiences.

Earth Hour is a global annual environmental movement organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), urging individuals and businesses to switch off non-essential lights for one hour—usually from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to raise awareness about climate change and nature loss, typically in late March.

Psychosis is associated with sex differences that are rarely considered in routine clinical care. Oestrogen exerts protective effects, with symptom exacerbation and increased relapse risk occurring during low-oestrogen states, such as perimenstruation, postpartum, and menopause transition.

We are super excited for Varda’s exhibition next week. It has been a fun journey since she got clicking at four. A big thank you to St George’s Arts Centre team in Gravesend. www.woodville.co.uk/events/tiny-...

A reminder of the invitation from Reproduction and Fertility to contribute to the recently launched collection “Evolving Perspectives in Management of Menopause Transition”. The collection is being led by myself as Collection Editor alongside Hisham AlAhwany.

Saturday, 21 March 2026, marks the 409th anniversary of the funeral and burial of Pocahontas. Pocahontas was a Powhatan Indigenous woman who acted as a liaison between her people and the Jamestown settlers. She famously helped settlers survive by bringing food, allegedly saved John Smith's life.

THE MARKET – EBBSFLEET 🎉 at Castle Hill was lovely yesterday! We had fun with all the activities, food and made friends with Matt from Kent Wildlife Trust. www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk