Petaling Jaya, 9 October 2011 – As we face our golden years, many people envy the younger generation for their better health and fitness. However, with sufficient information, most people have no cause to dread their golden years, but can look forward to enjoying retirement with ease.
The annual World Menopause Day, celebrated this year on 9 October 2011 at the Lake Gardens’ Royal Lake Club, is one such awareness event that seeks to make aging a truly golden experience for everyone. In line with this year’s theme ‘Age Gracefully in the Golden Years’, the Malaysian Menopause Society (MMS), who are the organisers, have lined up yet another slew of activities to educate the public.
Dr Liew Fah Onn, President of the MMS said, “Every year, the World Menopause Day celebration has been warmly received by Malaysians from all walks of life, and we have always made sure to pack education, fun and fellowship into our day-long knowledge-driven gatherings. So far, the event has always been a not-to-be missed one and is consistently eye-opening not only for women, but also their families and friends, and I am confident this will always be the case in the years to come.”
“Based on recent statistics, up to 80% of women suffer from signs and symptoms of menopause severe enough that medical assistance is recommended for better quality of life. However, in Malaysia, the number of women that seek advice from healthcare professionals on managing the signs and symptoms of menopause comprise only approximately 20% of an estimated 2.3 million women of menopausal age. This means that as many as 60% of women in Malaysia may be suffering in silence when their quality of life can be much improved by proper assistance from healthcare professionals. Plus, the average age of menopause is between 50-51 years old and women are expected to live another 25 years after they reach menopause which means an entire third of their life is now spent in the peri-menopausal and post-menopausal years. Thus, it is more important than ever to ensure that all women can live their golden years in optimal health and ease,” Dr Liew said.
“This year, just like before, we have organised a comprehensive lineup of health forums, and a product showcase of menopause-related goods and services. We have always believed in using education to increase public awareness on health issues, to make sure that a reduced quality of life need no longer be part and parcel of aging. For the Malaysian Menopause Society, we hope that by spreading knowledge to our audience, we may not only be informing them, but that they in turn could spread this knowledge to their peers,” added Dr Liew.
The World Menopause Day 2011 event saw public health talks on a wide variety of topics including the best nutrition for optimum health in the golden years, managing menopause and pre-menstrual syndrome, and managing incontinence by doctors from leading private healthcare centres around the Klang Valley including Assunta Hospital, Tung Shin Hospital, Prince Court Medical Centre and the Kuala Lumpur Menopause Centre.
Meanwhile, product showcases were held by Setia Kombinasi Sdn Bhd, UNAM Pharmaceutical (M) Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Wellchem Sdn Bhd, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Malaysia, Propharm(M) Sdn Bhd, Merck Sdn Bhd, Novartis Corporation (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pro Health Medics Sdn Bhd, Kimberly-Clark Malaysia, DKSH Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Bayer Schering Pharma, Fusion Creations Sdn Bhd and Protherapix Sdn Bhd for products such as Femal, Sanaxeen, Obimin, Obical, Neurogen-E, Utrogestan, Oestrogel, Livial, Gardasil, OHMS Probiotics, RemiFemin, Gyno-Plus, Poise, Aclasta, Progutt, Provas, Proscal, Prozaids, Fem-E and Okamizu. The activity lineup for the day also included an exercise regime demonstration by Original Bootcamp, a lucky draw session and hi-tea for the participants.
The Secretariat for the World Menopause Day 2011 celebration was managed by homegrown pharmaceutical company Setia Kombinasi Sdn Bhd.
For more information on the annual World Menopause Day celebration, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.menopause.org.my
About the Malaysian Menopause Society
The Malaysian Menopause Society was established in 1997 with the key objectives of promoting education on menopause throughout Malaysia and regionally, creating a discussion forum for menopause-related problems, promoting a high standard of clinical care for menopausal problems, and liaising with similar groups internationally to disseminate knowledge.
For more information, visit www.menopause.org.my
Images from the event
