Hot and Bothered Women Look for Answers on Menopause

Women are hot – very hot – and bothered. Menopause is a universal life change that will impact half the population, yet it’s shrouded in shame and stigma, leaving women reluctant to talk about it, even with their doctors. As a result, women are often left with little to no support to help them navigate such a significant change in their lives.

Sinai Health Foundation knows that it’s time to break the silence. Hot and Bothered, the latest campaign launched by the Foundation timed to coincide with World Menopause Day on October 18th, aims to push the conversation around menopause and perimenopause into the spotlight with a clear message: it’s time to find answers on menopause.

Developed with agency partner Diamond, Hot and Bothered highlights the challenges and frustrations women face going through and seeking care for menopause and perimenopause, and the lack of understanding and funding within these stages of life. The campaign is harnessing the power of high-impact, highly visible media featuring known Canadian faces - from Jully Black to Amanda Brugel - to boldly declare that it’s time to be loud and contribute to the goal of raising $50 million to create and establish the Centre for Mature Women’s Health at Mount Sinai Hospital.

“As long as menopause remains a taboo topic, women are less likely to receive the support and care needed through this often-challenging transition,” said Lana Chen, vice president, integrated and brand marketing at Sinai Health Foundation. “The stigma around menopause has led to gaps in research, training and more broadly, women’s health. Sinai Health believes closing the gap is long overdue.”

The establishment of the centre recognises that mature women’s health issues are woefully underrepresented in care and research, and must be addressed with stigma-free conversation and greater funding. The centre will unite the menopause clinics in a single, one-stop shop to improve the patient experience and their access to care. It will double the number of patients treated and be a hub for research and education in women's health.

“The Centre for Mature Women’s Health will be a big step forward in finding answers for a life change all women will experience,” continued Lana. “Sinai Health is answering the call, but requires the support of Canadians to meet the urgent need for transformational menopause care, research and education to challenge women’s health inequities.”

The campaign hero is a powerful film created to drive mass awareness of the stigma women face and Sinai Health’s vision to find the answers women crave. It is further supported by a suite of assets for TSA, OOH, print, and an updated website.

“The opportunity to bring the conversation around menopause and perimenopause into the spotlight was an invigorating way to begin our partnership with Sinai Health Foundation,” said Lori Davison, chief strategy officer, Diamond. “Women have been silenced for too long. It’s time to boldly, fiercely declare that women don’t need to feel sorry for being hot and bothered. They need to be heard and supported. Every element of this campaign was designed to do exactly that.”

A powerful collaboration with Peace Collective on a limited-edition T-shirt will further amplify the campaign’s impact. Available at the Sinai gift shop and online through Peace Collective, 100% of profits will support the Centre for Mature Women's Health.

Hot and Bothered launched on October 9th, with T-shirt sales continuing through to December 31st.