The story behind TCMP
The Coventry Menopause Project was born from lived experience.
Serena and Mark met at the very beginning of Serena's perimenopause journey and have navigated the challenges of hormone health together ever since. Over the years, they have weathered the uncertainty, frustration and learning curve that so many women and families experience when trying to find answers.
Together they have spent years researching, listening to experts, reading guidelines, exploring treatment options and connecting with others navigating similar experiences. In doing so, they became passionate advocates for better menopause education, awareness and support.
What also became clear was that they had developed something valuable: a unique combination of lived experience, frontline NHS Primary Care insight, coaching expertise and an understanding of the real-world challenges faced by women and their families during the menopause transition.
After 3 years of research, countless appointments and constant search for adequate support, the realisation hit – what they were searching for simply didn’t exist.
Rather than continue searching for a solution, they decided to start building one.
Ironically, along the way Mark became aware of his own hormonal deficiency.
Ones journey was relatively straightforward, progressing from GP appointment to NHS specialist investigation, diagnosis and treatment in less than six months.
The other spans years of appointments, misdiagnosis, conflicting advice, private consultations and relentless self-advocacy and is still ongoing 6 years later.
We're sure you can guess which journey belonged to who.
That contrast was impossible to ignore. we had witnessed first-hand the disparity that exists in the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of male and female hormone-related health care.
The combination of their individual stories, their experience, values and passion for health equality and social justice, brings them to where they are today, actively supporting women and their communities to improve their health and wellbeing.