To celebrate World Menopause Day, October 18th 2013, IMS launched a new campaign with the theme ‘Oncology in midlife and beyond’.
After the menopause there is an increased risk of cancer and therefore being proactive in managing a healthy lifestyle will significantly reduce this risk. Preventative strategies, such as decreasing smoking and alcohol consumption, losing weight, eating a healthy diet and undertaking physical activity, and implementation of screening could help to significantly decrease the incidence and mortality from cancer.
Lead author of the White Paper, Prof. Anne Gompel, commented:
“Cancer is responsible for around 15% of all deaths worldwide (for both sexes) but around 20 – 25% of women die from cancer each year. Being aware of the problem of cancer, and how you can take steps to lessen your risk of getting it, is vitally important to all women. The incidence of most cancers rises with age, making it especially important for women going through the menopause, and also after the menopause, to be aware of this increasing risk. Women need to be in tune with their bodies, and to look for any changes which might indicate a problem.
One of the solutions is for each woman to make sure that she visits her doctor regularly, to discuss her general health and arrange appropriate check-ups. Women also need to try to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible: we all know what this means, eating better, exercising more, not smoking, and so on”.
An educational toolkit of materials has been developed to support local country initiatives throughout the month of October to raise awareness of this potential health issue and many have been translated into key languages to ensure the campaign has a truly international perspective.
A White Paper Oncology in midlife and beyond
The International Menopause Society undertook a systematic review to summarise the literature regarding the impact of the menopause and associated risk factors of cancer. The review is available for download on the Taylor & Francis website and was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Climacteric, in October 2013.
The IMS grants permission to individuals only to reproduce the copies of the review for their own personal use but requests that organisations contact Ms Lee Tomkins, IMS Executive Director for advice on how to order reprints.
A short accompanying slide kit, ‘Oncology in midlife and beyond’ for physician education has also been produced and is available in the following languages:
Awareness raising poster – Give Yourself a Fighting Chance
This A4 poster is designed to help prevent cancer by embracing a healthy lifestyle by being proactive in managing a healthy lifestyle which will significantly reduce the risk.
The poster can be used in a physician’s waiting room or reception, in libraries, or during health awareness meetings for women. The poster can be used throughout the year to encourage women to seek help and advice from their health care professional. It is available in the following languages:
Patient information leaflet – Understand your risk of cancer in middle age
This is a comprehensive booklet which reviews the risk factors associated with cancer especially in middle age and the preventative measures that can be adopted to reduce that risk.
Health care providers and women can read and download the leaflet – see links below:
Reports on World Menopause Day from around the world
India
Full PDF report available
Uruguay
I would like to report the activities done for the WMD.
Last month I was in Argentina participating at the Argentinian Association Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics and Gynecology (AACOG – www.aacog.org.ar) and presented a “Review of the WHI after 12 years” that has been uploaded to internet by Medcenter (www.medcenter.com) and in addition two separate reports on Menopause and WMD in the same website.
I have been in a TV program called “Quality of Life” (www.teledoce.com/calidaddevida) seen by many people in Uruguay and also at the “Uruguayan National Radio” (www.radiouruguay.com.uy) talking about the meaning and importance of that day.
Both programs are in internet too.
The Journal “Tendencias en Medicina” (www.tendenciasenmedicina.com) collaborated sending to the media the press release and I published an article with the last IMS Consensus.
I also sent a mailing to my patients and other contacts with the recommendations of the brochure for the prevention of cancer (http://www.storch.com.uy/boletines/13.pdf)
I would also like to tell you that the Journal “Tendencias en Medicina” did:
- 5 tweets
- 4 news in Facebook.
- Published an article in the Journal “DETURNO” that they send for free to all the pharmacies and drugstores.
Unfortunately once again I had no industry support nor of the Uruguayan Menopause Society (www.sguruguay.org) but even alone I will keep working for the IMS goals that otherwise are also mine.
Best regards,
Eduardo Storch
Columbia
Dear Lee
I send you the summary for the activities for our Association for World Menopause Day.
We organized one meeting with 100 doctors and we worked in the Cancer topic.
We will expect new notices for next topics that IMS think will be used in the future.
Kind regards
Camilo Rueda
CAMS – Colombia
Nicaragua
Dear Dr. Tobie de Villiers
President IMS
Dear Lee Tomkins
Executive Director IMS
The Board of Directors of ANCYM (Asociación Nicaragüense de Climaterio y Menopausia) is very pleased to join the global celebration of the Menopause Day around the world and to greet the entire sister Associations in the different continents and languages.
We are also pleased to inform you about our special activity two days ago with a full auditorium and the very interested and active presence of about 250 ladies. We presented 8 short conferences on issues that are of particular interest for the ladies in their “golden decade” of Climacterium and Menopause.
We also had the official lunch of the first publication of ANCYM dedicated to the integral care of the women. It was very enthusiastically accepted by the assistants. We send you the digital version of this Magazine with the themes and authors. All the authors have been Presidents of ANCYM.
We had a sociocultural program at the end of the conferences which had a wonderful acceptance by the ladies.
Since recently we also have a Facebook page of ANCYM which you can visit any time.
We hope that our activities contribute to the many efforts of IMS and the different national associations for the accomplishment of our mission to improve the integral and best care of the women around the world.
With our best wishes for the success of IMS and best regards for you,
Prof. Dr. Enrique Sánchez Delgado
Internal Medicine-Clinical Pharmacology
President of ANCYM
Managua, Nicargua
Argentina
Buenos Aires, October 15th, 2013
The WORLD MENOPAUSE DAY began in 1984. The IMS and the World Health Organization instituted this day to encourage education and awareness of this topic.
In Argentina this year the AAPEC (Argentine Association for the Study of Climacteric), whose President is Professor Dr Campostrini Blanca, and Vice president Professor Dr Nölting Manuel, has organized special events for next October 18th .
The program will include:
- Highlights of last NAMS meeting.
- Controversies about Bone Health in Climacteric Syndrome.
- Integral Management for Climacteric Syndrome (Schedules, update)
On the other hand AAPEC will sponsor a meeting opened to the Community conducted by relevant specialists to encourage women to know about menopause, and discuss their climacteric symptoms, ask their doubts and engage in conversations about their concerns related to this period of life.
Our aims are to stimulate medical research, disseminate health information, update in special and controversial situations, and promote public prevention care. At the same time we manage the Climacteric School that include Annual University Courses to complete our educational purposes.
Gynaecologists and all health care providers are invited to participate of this reliable and special event.
Keeping in touch with all the World Menopause Societies,
Best Regards and have a nice Menopause Day.
AAPEC (Argentine Association for the Study of Climacteric).
Source of funding
The translations of the review and costs for the provision of these educational materials were supported by IMS funds. The industry has had no influence on the choice of contributors, the content and the writing of the review, or any other campaign initiatives.
World Menopause Month
The International Menopause Society, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has designated October 18 as World Menopause Day. In observation of the Day, the IMS and the member national societies of CAMS, the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies, distribute materials and organize activities to inform women about menopause, its management and the impact of estrogen loss. Since it is not always possible for local societies to arrange activities for this specific day, the IMS has now designated October as World Menopause Month. Local societies can also collaborate with other organizations working in the field of adult women’s health, such as societies for osteoporosis and breast cancer, to organize joint events. World Menopause Month can also be a call to implement policies that support research and treatment in the area of menopausal health.
As the world’s population ages, there will be increasing numbers of women entering menopause and living beyond post menopause. The potential symptoms of menopause may have a negative impact on the quality of daily life. Moreover, the consequences of menopause can lead to a host of age-related diseases including heart disease and osteoporosis. Nations around the world should continue to educate women about menopause and the benefits of preventive health care.
The IMS hopes that national societies will take the opportunity of World Menopause Month to highlight the increasing importance of menopausal health issues, by contacting the women of their country to encourage them to talk to their doctors about menopause and its long-term effects