Karen Giblin was 40 years old when she had a hysterectomy with removal of her ovaries. Her disconcerting symptoms of menopause appeared abruptly after the surgery, and she had difficulty transitioning to menopause.
She realized that an educational support program could help women on this journey.
When Karen was suffering from hot flashes, her young daughter would say that Karen was a “red hot mama.” Karen realized it was the perfect description of how she felt, and the result was the creation of the Red Hot Mamas educational program.
Saint Francis Healthcare will be offering Karen’s Red Hot Mamas program to women in the Memphis area. The series of educational events will be at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis and Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. The kickoff event takes place at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis on Aug. 2 and will feature Karen Giblin presenting “Yes It’s Hot in Here. In Charge of Change.”
She will be joined by Indu Tejwani, M.D., who will discuss “Making Time For Menopause.” Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 5:30 p.m. with the seminar beginning at 6 p.m. Women can register by calling (844) 644-2273.
“Menopause is not a disease; it’s a normal transition in a woman’s lifetime,” Giblin said. “Your attitude can have a tremendous impact on your experience. It’s important for women to collect information, develop a plan with their clinician and make necessary lifestyle changes like exercising, reducing stress and eating properly. Attending Red Hot Mamas programs are very beneficial, as this program offers education, support, hope, optimism, and enables women to interact with other women whom they share a lot in common with at menopause.”
Giblin is a long-time member of The North American Menopause Society and The Inter-national Menopause Society. She is also the author of Eat to Defeat Menopause. She promises “heated discussions” at the kickoff program, including some funny and not-so-funny aspects of menopause. Giblin will also discuss the three stages of menopause.
Red Hot Mamas’ Agenda
- “Making Time for Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Indu Tejwani; Tuesday, Aug. 2, at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Dr. Indu Tejwani, OBGYN, will provide and outline the basics of menopause and the mysteries surrounding. Red Hot Mamas founder Karen Gilblin will attend for the kickoff event.
- “Bladder and Urinary Concerns at Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Zachary Corr; Thursday, Aug. 25, at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. Dr. Corr will discuss the bladder and urinary tract as well as common urological disorders that affect women during menopause.
- “Sex and Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Rye Estepp; Thursday, Sept. 8, at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. Dr. Rye Estepp, OB/GYN, will discuss sex and menopause. She will address sexual dysfunction, treatment, effects of estrogen loss, and the need for physical intimacy.
- “Memory Meltdown At Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Sarah Rack; Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Dr. Sarah Rack, psychiatrist, will talk about memory and menopause. She will discuss the brain, forgetting and what you can do to minimize memory loss.
- “Menopause and Hormone Therapy.” Speaker: Dr. Kira Cooley; Thursday, Sept. 29, at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. Dr. Kira Cooley, OB/GYN, will discuss the benefits and risks of hormone therapy during menopause and how it can help with the symptoms related to menopause.
- “Heart Disease and Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Bashar Shala; Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Dr. Bashar Shala, interventional cardiologist, will discuss heart disease and risk factors for women. Heart disease kills more women than any other disease. Saint Francis Hospital will provide free blood pressure checks for those registered to attend the seminar.
- “Non Hormonal Treatment Options.” Speaker: Dr. Laura Haskins; Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Dr. Laura Haskins, OBGYN, will discuss non-traditional and alternative medicine as it relates to menopausal women. Some of the topics she will address include therapies, lifestyle modifications, diet and exercise.
- “Sleep and Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Taslim Khattak; Thursday, Nov. 3, at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Dr. Taslim Khattak will discuss sleep and meno-pause. She will cover areas such as the impact that sleep has on the body, sleep changes at menopause, and treatment options.
- “Osteoporosis & Menopause.” Speaker: Dr. Donald Hamby; Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. Dr. Donald Hamby, OB/GYN, will discuss osteoporosis and menopause. He will address bone changes at menopause, estrogen’s role in bone loss, medical tests and treatment options. Saint Francis will provide free bone density tests on site for registered attendees.
