New platform helps women access information, care while navigating menopause

A new tool is offering a place to access information and help to women going through menopause — all from the comfort of their own homes.

It's a stage of life that's different for every woman.

"I've had the brain fog, which is fun. I've had the night sweats. Restless leg syndrome, and then, of course, we moved on to more serious things," said Sheri Morgan.

When Morgan started navigating bigger issues stemming from menopause, she found it hard to get information.

"I went to my GP. She really didn't know what it was. I had to wait two years to get in with a gynecologist, and finally got diagnosed with an autoimmune situation on my pelvic floor," said Morgan.

Now, women can turn to sanoMidLife to get help in understanding their mid-life transition. It was created by Angela Johnson, who had a difficult time from perimenopause to postmenopause.

"We have a sense of maturity that we understand our bodies now and we know when things aren't right," said Johnson, sanoLiving's co-founder and CEO.

The platform helps women access education, help from clinicians, and even prescriptions. The paid service has been in operation since November, and has now partnered with health insurance provider Medavie Blue Cross.

"The partnership with sanoLiving allows us to leverage both high quality care for a variety of different symptoms related to menopause, but also the ability to leverage technology where it makes sense to do so to be able to support that journey," said Anita Swamy, senior vice president of operations with Medavie Blue Cross.

Johnson says those not currently with Medavie Blue Cross can check with sanoLiving to see if their current health insurance provider could cover the cost of care.

More than 10 million Canadian women are going through menopause. Studies show one in 10 will leave the workforce due to unmanaged symptoms.

"This is supposed to be when we’re earning our highest dollars, taking those opportunities that we've spent our lifetime building careers of, only to find ourselves further saddled with this complexity," said Johnson.

Much like Johnson, Morgan took her experience — and the death of a close friend to cervical cancer — and is now helping others.

"Two years ago, we started the Orchid Gala, and we've partnered with the Dartmouth General Hospital, the IWK, and Nova Scotia Health Innovation to bring new technology and advancements in women's health care for the women of Nova Scotia," said Morgan.