Champion Spotlight - Jacky's Story

Well… What an Adventure! Who Knew?

Born in the 50s, a teenager in the 60s, married in the 70s, divorced in the 80s, perimenopausal in the 90s and post-menopausal in the noughties…

The adventures never cease!

Growing up in London in the era that I did meant that I had very little idea about what lay ahead when my hormones eventually decided to change direction. Menopause simply wasn't a conversation in my family, and it certainly wasn't one I thought I needed to have.

Then, at 43, it arrived. And it arrived with a vengeance. My symptoms appeared and multiplied remarkably quickly. At the same time, I was at the tail end of a long relationship that had become increasingly difficult. Then my father died, my mum began developing dementia, and I was losing confidence at work. My anxiety went through the roof. Panic attacks, memory loss and a whole host of other symptoms became part of everyday life. Perimenopause had arrived in full swing, and it wasn't letting up.

By 53, I had reached menopause, but nothing seemed to be settling down. If anything, new symptoms appeared. Or perhaps I was simply beginning to notice things I hadn't connected with my hormones before.

What I didn't understand then was how much my lifestyle and the choices I was making were contributing to how poorly I felt. I had no idea that there was so much I could have done to support myself.

Eventually, I left my 9-to-5 corporate life and became self-employed, using the skills I'd gained over the years in a variety of different roles. It was interesting and varied, and I felt much less 'trapped' which suited me enormously. A little later, I created my own VA business, which I ran happily for 13 years. And, if I wanted to hide away, I could!

But underneath all of that, my experience of perimenopause and post-menopause was never far from my mind. The life changes, the symptoms, the emotions and the sheer impact it had had on me were profound. I was curious. I was hungry for answers. And I wanted to understand what had happened to me.

In the early years, I had felt alone and distraught. Later, armed with only a smattering of information and desperate to make sense of my experience, I decided to write a book.

Finding my voice

In 2010, at the age of 58, I began researching 'the menopause'.

I didn't really know where to look for evidence-based, accurate information, but somehow, in 2011, I managed to get What Happened, Where Did I Go? published. It was a very small paperback and sold modestly, particularly because I hadn't the faintest idea how to market a book!

But it did attract some attention and, more importantly, comments from women who recognised themselves in it. That's when I realised something incredibly important:

I wasn't alone. Not by a long way.

I read the book now and cringe at some of my naivety, but at the time it was almost therapeutic. I was putting my experience into words, trying to understand it and, perhaps without realising it, beginning to find my voice.

A few years later, I met and married my now-husband, and life continued to throw new adventures my way.

I became increasingly interested in somatic work and qualified in Emmett Therapy, Scar work Therapy, Indian Head Massage and Access Bars. I also became an NLP Practitioner, which sparked my interest in how the brain works and how profoundly our life circumstances can affect us.

Along the way, I learned more and more about self-care, wellbeing and the impact of the environment around us. I didn't know it at the time, but I was gradually building a collection of knowledge and experience that would eventually lead me back to menopause.

And then came lockdown…

In 2020, the first lockdown brought my 1:1 work to an abrupt halt.

Like many people, I took one of my interests online and built a team promoting toxin-free beauty products. Interestingly, because of the age group of my customers, almost every conversation eventually included something about menopause. And I loved talking about it!

My own experience, combined with everything I had learned over the years, was pointing me towards a new direction.

I started investigating more. I had more conversations. I listened. I learned. And new information seemed to keep finding its way to me, almost as though it was meant to.

Suddenly, all those years of confusion, gloom and distress began to look rather different. Perhaps they hadn't been wasted after all. Perhaps they had given me something incredibly valuable: the ability to understand how someone else might be feeling. What a gift.

I created Jacky Wood, Menopause Mentor and began spreading the word through business networking. Then came another happy shift.

The day everything changed

In 2022, I saw an advert for a Menopause Experts Group roadshow and on 15 September, I went to Bracknell.

That day became a significant turning point in my life.

I met lovely Dee Murray, along with some existing Menopause Champions, and found myself in a room full of women who were curious, enthusiastic and passionate about menopause, some considering becoming Champions themselves, others simply wanting to share their experiences. I was hooked!

I learned a tremendous amount that day, both from the talks and from the conversations around me. And I knew I wanted to be part of this fantastic organisation.

So, at the age of 70, I became a Menopause Champion with Menopause Experts Group. I dropped the word 'mentor' and felt like the cat with the cream!

Suddenly, I felt recognised. I felt more professional. I had the knowledge, the backing and the confidence to stand up and say, proudly: “I'm a Menopause Champion.” And before long, I became known in my circles as “the menopause lady”. I loved it! I proudly wore my MEG badge, displayed the logo on my materials and, most importantly, felt that I had found something that genuinely mattered to me.

Now, in my fourth year with MEG which has now launched its new brand Menopause Champions International, I've spoken to individuals, groups and businesses, both online and in person. And I'm still learning. I'm still curious. And I'm still loving spreading the word.

Then the radio came along…

Because apparently, one new adventure wasn't enough!

About eighteen months ago, I was invited to be a guest on a local radio station's afternoon talk show, answering listeners' questions about menopause. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. I loved it. A few months later, I was offered my own weekly two-hour show, talking about menopause, and life in general. I called it Life in Balance.

I've had guests join me to share their experiences of menopause, health, business and life, and I've often been moved and humbled by the women I've met along the way. Women who have experienced enormous adversity and somehow turned it into something positive, something they can use to help other people. Those conversations have reminded me time and time again that our experiences can shape us without necessarily defining us.

And here I am…

So here I am today, thirty years on from the beginning of my perimenopause journey. What started as one of the most difficult and confusing periods of my life has become an ongoing journey of learning, understanding and finding better balance. And I now have the privilege of encouraging other people not to make some of the mistakes I made. I want women to have the information I didn't have.

I want them to understand that what they're experiencing may not be 'just getting older'. I want them to feel heard, informed and empowered to make choices that are right for them. And being able to call myself a Menopause Champion makes me incredibly proud. Becoming a Champion was, without doubt, one of the best decisions I've ever made.

With the wonderful support of Dee Murray and the fantastic team at Menopause Experts Group and Menopause Champions International, I'm continuing to learn, to share and to have conversations that matter. And I have absolutely no intention of winding down just yet!

After all…

Born in the 50s, a teenager in the 60s, perimenopausal in the 90s, post-menopausal in the noughties and a Menopause Champion at 70. Who knows what the next adventure will bring? I'm just very glad I went to Bracknell that day!

Love Jacky x