Funds raised from generous sponsors and guests at the industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Employer Awards are ensuring the Daisy Network charity can provide vital counselling services to support young women diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), also known as Premature Menopause.

The inaugural Menopause Friendly Employer Awards on September 22, 2022 celebrated the amazing work of organisations and individuals, shining a light on what good looks like in respect of managing menopause in the workplace.

A fantastic night for all the finalists, winners and guests, the positive impact of the evening will be long lasting, thanks to the event’s overarching aim to channel corporate fundraising to important menopause-related causes.

The Daisy Network is among the first beneficiaries. Run entirely by volunteers, it typically supports 400 women each year who are newly diagnosed with POI.  Often their first port-of-call, the Daisy Network takes their hand and guides them through the early stages of acceptance and adjustment to their changed future. 

When women first come to The Daisy Network, they are offered free counselling sessions which can be a lifeline to help them come to terms with their diagnosis. Over six to eight sessions, they gain tools to help them accept their diagnosis, navigate a route forward and build resilience to overcome future hurdles such as when friends and family members fall pregnant.

Alongside offering extraordinary services to women who are at their most vulnerable, The Daisy Network engages in vital research into new treatments in the fields of HRT and assisted conception while also raising awareness among GPs and the medical community to help women find support quickly after their diagnosis.

“The moment you have a POI diagnosis, your life plan changes completely,” says Amy Bennie co-founder of The Daisy Network. “This can be a huge shock and especially for younger women including teenagers, this devastating news can be hard to take and difficult to move forward from.

“Our counselling sessions are hugely important and we know they can be a lifeline for women, helping them come to terms with their diagnosis and what their new future holds. The £10,000 funding from the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards will secure over 200 counselling sessions for our members which is a great relief and comfort to us. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity in helping us this way,” says Amy who also recently been granted National Lottery funding to cover the cost of further sessions.