menopause: unmuted: Darlene & Ben: On age-gap love through menopause

Women's Health

In this episode, Darlene and Ben share their unconventional love story, which was challenged and strengthened by Darlene’s menopause experience. Although Ben is 20 years younger than Darlene, he has proven to be an exemplary partner and source of support for Darlene as she struggled with menopause symptoms. In addition to the broader impact of menopause symptoms on her daily life, Darlene also shares how her symptoms affected her work and how she felt unsupported in her workplace. This experience eventually led her to take time off work, however, it also inspired her to become an advocate to help educate, bring awareness, and support others going through menopause in the workplace. Ben has extended his committed support for Darlene by joining her in these advocacy efforts. The couple also talks about their shared passion for fitness and powerlifting, which has brought joy and confidence to Darlene in her midlife years.

Content warning: this episode mentions the topic of suicidal ideation.

Useful Links:

• If you are in need of immediate support, you can call, text, or chat the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (available free of charge in the United States 24/7)
• Learn more about strength training and menopause in one of our previous episodes A Strong Menopause with Susan Niebergall.
• Are you interested in sharing your menopause story on the podcast? You can pass your contact details to the production team for further consideration by filling out this form.

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Women's Health is your destination for compelling, stand-out series that touch on all aspects of women's health. While each series may focus on a different topic, they're united in their commitment to candid conversations that destigmatize women's health issues and highlight real life people. Learn more about each series featured below:

• menopause: unmuted is honest, hopeful, life-affirming, and features real women talking candidly about their menopause, and its impact on relationships, friends, family, and work. Each episode shares deeply personal accounts of the different emotional and physical symptoms experienced. Our host, leading women’s health expert Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, provides an expert perspective, busting myths and offering evidence-based information.

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