Jamaican women’s advocacy group MPower staged ‘MPower Yourself” on October 11 at the Scotiabank Corporate Learning Centre in Kingston in the lead-up to World Menopause Day this weekend.

The menopause-focused event drew a packed audience for an impactful evening of education, storytelling, and community focused on the often-overlooked realities of perimenopause and menopause.

The event featured the screening of the internationally acclaimed documentary, ‘The M Factor‘, which explores the deeply personal and systemic challenges women face during midlife. The screening was followed by a dynamic live Q&A session with leading experts in women’s health.

Among those in attendance was Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who voiced strong support for greater public health action in this area.

“It was an informative event and confirms in my mind that as a health system we must do more in this area,” said Tufton.

The expert panel featured a powerhouse of Jamaican and international women’s health professionals, including American ob-gyn Dr Kudzai Dombo—a Menopause Society-certified practitioner; Dr Michelle Bailey, reproductive health specialist from the Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit; and Dr Dainia Baugh, menopause specialist and advocate, cardiologist and chairman of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation.

Baugh issued a strong call to action, linking menopause to broader public health outcomes.

“As a doctor, I see menopause as a wake-up call — and ignoring it costs lives. It’s linked to heart disease, diabetes and other serious conditions, yet it’s still dismissed as ‘just a phase’.

“Governments must treat menopause as a public health priority, and employers must step up. Supporting women through menopause isn’t just good medicine—it’s lifesaving,” said Dr Dainia Baugh.

The MPower team comprises of occupational therapist Sacha Chung, fitness professional Jodi Mair, and entrepreneurs Elena Diedrick-Lynch and Leisha Wong of the boutique creative and project management agency Elle Creative.

“We created the event to spark a cultural shift around how menopause is discussed and addressed in Jamaica,” said co-creator Elena Diedrick- Lynch.

“Menopause is not about vanity or wellness trends, it’s basic healthcare,” said Jodi Mair, co-creator of MPower.

“It’s about keeping women in the workforce, preserving relationships, protecting mental health, and preventing chronic illness. And we are done suffering in silence. We must demand better.”

Drawing from her own journey navigating perimenopause and being repeatedly dismissed by healthcare providers, Mair added, “I’m not a doctor — I’m just a woman who had to fight to be heard. I’m hoping that my fight will afford every Jamaican woman the opportunity to be heard and treated with respect and dignity, as they transition into this chapter of our lives.”

With a message of empowerment and collective responsibility, Mair urged women to take control of their health journeys.

“We are not here tonight to ‘tell’ women how to manage their menopause journey. That’s a very personal decision (not a one size fits all). We are here to educate and advocate for that access so that you can have the hard conversations with your spouses, partners, children, doctors, co-workers, insurance companies, and whoever else may be affected.”

“Our vision is clear, every Jamaican woman should be able to openly discuss her symptoms with her doctor (without the fear of being dismissed), access evidence-based solutions, and fill prescriptions for treatments, which are covered by her insurance, because that’s what women, their families, workplaces, communities, and our country deserve,” ended Mair.

Sacha Vaccianna Riley, executive director of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), who was among the attendees, shared her reflections on the film and its importance.

“Having attended the screening of ‘The M-Factor‘, I was deeply moved by the honesty, strength, and sisterhood that The M-Power Yourself Movement has brought to this conversation. Menopause is not merely a woman’s issue — it is a societal and economic one that deserves visibility and respect. Through initiatives like M-Power, we are breaking the silence and dismantling the stigma that has for too long kept women suffering in silence. 

“When we create workplaces and cultures that acknowledge this natural stage of life, we unlock empathy, productivity, and true gender equity. The PSOJ proudly stands with M-Power in affirming that supporting women through menopause is not an act of charity — it is an act of leadership.