INVERNESS midwife, coach, and best-selling author Maria Anderson will give a barrier-breaking talk on what’s considered a taboo subject at Manchester United’s ground.
Maria, who spent the last 19 years working for NHS Highland and wrote the bestselling memoir Tales of a Midwife, will take to the stage at the Theatre of Dreams for a no-holds-barred discussion on menopause.
Speaking at a fundraising event at Old Trafford on 29 and 30 September 2022, she will address an audience of 250 to discuss what she calls “unmentionables”.
Maria, 55, says:
“My talk is called ‘Mentioning the Unmentionables’ Peeling Back the Mask on Women’s Health. I’ll start a conversation about why women are suffering because they have trouble speaking openly about what they see as unmentionable subjects.
“I’ll talk through the ridiculous language we’re somehow conditioned to use in relation to women’s bodies. How can our symptoms be taken seriously if we can’t talk about it seriously?”
Maria moved to Inverness from her native Newcastle in April 2003 and now lives in Rosemarkie, the Black Isle, with her husband and two teenage children.
Tales of a Midwife Author
In 2012 her memoir Tales of a Midwife, detailing the highs and lows of delivering babies since she was a 17-year-old trainee, became a Sunday Times bestseller and saw Maria appear on TV and radio shows.
In 2018, alongside her Quality Improvement Work as a Midwife with NHS Highland, she established Maria Anderson Coaching to empower women and now specialises in menopause.
Maria says:
“There is a crisis in women’s health, women are experiencing extreme fatigue, low confidence, and loss of identity. Menopause can be life-threatening and life-limiting. One in ten women contemplates suicide during peri-menopause or menopause. Four out of five women are affected by it every day, and a million women leave work in the UK because of menopause symptoms.
Yet we’re not encouraged to show emotion for fear of being seen as hysterical. So, what’s the alternative? We hide behind a mask. My talk is all about peeling back the mask to start talking about our bodies confidently, instead of putting up and shutting up.
Hormone Replacement Therapy is only part of the solution; a lot of women don’t want to or cannot take this option. There is a whole range of alternative options and it’s time to break those barriers so menopause becomes part of everyday conversation, these changes will positively impact our future generations.”
Maria’s talk takes place during a two-day event called Bee Inspired to fundraise for a charity foundation, The Fly Anyway Foundation, which helps survivors of domestic violence rebuild their lives and regain independence.
Set up by the business leader of I Am The Queen Bee Movement (#IATQB) Dani Wallace, Maria has been chosen alongside 20 other entrepreneurs to inspire and motivate others during stressful times.
Brands such as Vodafone, NatWest, TikTok, and Nestle will also be on hand to share knowledge and advice, supporting attendees with a view to integrating big and small businesses.
Bee Inspired Organiser
Dani Wallace said:
“I can’t wait to see Maria take to the stage – their message is so powerful and needs to be heard by more people.”
Maria Anderson Coaching aims to raise awareness around this life-changing condition, so women recognise these debilitating symptoms, understand the impact of hormone deficiency on their bodies, and know how to access the right support to see this chapter of their life as a new opportunity rather than the end of the road.
“I am nervous but excited to speak at Old Trafford. My main worry is keeping my life-long support of Newcastle United secret from the venue hosts.”
BEE-INSPIRED LIVE 2022 – Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester – 29th & 30th September 2022 – Tickets on sale now – bit.ly/beeinspiredsep22tickets
