On May 20, a new event is coming to Niverville that asserts itself as the hottest night in town. It’s called “Still Hot” and its aim is to shed light on, and encourage conversation around, a natural phase of life: menopause.

Hosted at the Heritage Centre and organized by Life Culture, it’s the second such event organized specifically with menopausal women in mind. The first was held in Steinbach this past February.

“The event in February was very well received and it just spoke to the need that women have in this season of life,” says Susan Penner, executive director of Life Culture. “We want more information and just to be validated in what’s going on [in our bodies].”

Penner says she first realized the need for an event like this while having a conversation about her own life on social media.

“I’d done a reel on Instagram, kind of joking about my experiences with menopause and how menopause can be wild,” Penner says. “It was supposed to be just a fun thing, but I got tons of responses from women who are going through this too.”

Her team at Life Culture wasted no time creating a memorable event that would highlight keynote speakers, include a Q&A period, and foster a supportive atmosphere for women in or near this stage of life.

Within hours of the Steinbach event going public, Penner says ticket sales exceeded their original venue capacity, causing them to plan for a larger centre. Even with an updated capacity of 200, it still sold out.

On the heels of that event, the menopause conversation will continue in Niverville.

The local event, revolved around sharing dessert with like-minded ladies, is geared for women between 40 and 60 years of age, although all women are welcome.

The keynote speaker this time around is Dr. Dornubari Lebari, who runs a professional menopause clinic in Winnipeg.

“Her reputation and expertise speaks to how much she cares about women in this season of life,” Penner says.

Jacqui Broesky, a sports nutrition coach and professional power lifter, will also provide insight into managing menopause symptoms through nutrition and strength-training.

“I anticipate that the ones [who attended in Steinbach] might send their friends or bring their friends to this event,” says Penner. “It’s a super fun girls night out, but also informative.”

As to why menopause information seems to exist in a desert, Penner is unsure. It’s clear, though, that the average general practitioner hasn’t been trained to inform or guide women through it.

“I believe that that’s beginning to change. Women are demanding it. A third of us are in this stage of life, perimenopause and menopause, and we need to address it and be treated for it.”

Life Culture, a non-profit based out of Steinbach, has been around since 1975. It began as the League for Life Steinbach chapter and evolved since into its broader scope. They provide services specifically geared towards women, such as foster mom support, pregnancy and infant loss support, support for single moms, and divorce care.

“We just have this mission of supporting women through every season of life.”