Penny Lancaster, Davina McCall and Mariella Frostrup joined forces this week to break the shame around the once-taboo subject of women's health and help create a better future for the nation's young women.
Sitting down for breakfast at London's Corinthia hotel with Wellbeing of Women, who recently launched their Just a Period campaign, the charity's celebrity ambassadors came together to discuss the silence around women’s health and sign a pledge to tackle its stigma in the charity’s 60th year.
Loose Women panelist , Penny Lancaster, who is married to singer Sir Rod Stewart, said for years women have had to accept the status quo - but change is coming.
"It's probably because I'm of a certain age that I sort of recognize how important health for women is," Penny told HELLO!.
"Whether it's the pain of having periods or approaching menopause and feeling anxious and emotional, you just take it on the chin and think, 'Well it's tough, I'm a woman, I just have to put up with it'. But by joining a charity like Wellbeing of Women, you suddenly realise that it's not something you should be ashamed of. There's so much help out there," she said.
Education on women's health is equally important for girls and boys, believes Penny, who is mum to sons Alastair and Aiden.
"Having two boys, you'd think that maybe they wouldn't be so aware, but actually they teach them so much more at schools and instead of having separate conversations with boys and girls, they bring them together. That's so helpful to think that they're going to be on that journey together, understanding each other's hormonal changes."
Penny revealed an ingenious aid she used at home, telling us: "Before my menopause started when I had my periods, if I lost my temper over something that wouldn't have bothered me before, daddy might say, 'Ooh boys, mummy's hormonal'. I suppose it's still sort of awkward using the word 'period'.
"They'd often forget, so I started wearing a red wristband. They would look at my wrist and go, 'Oh, it's that time of the month.' The little red wristband."
TV presenter Davina McCall, who is applauded for her work on the menopause, told HELLO!: "Struggling on in silence is a terrible place to be. It's very lonely, isolating and often makes your symptoms feel much worse."
© James RobinsonShe added: "Talking about it means that other people hear about it. It means that if they've got a solution, they can help you, and if there is no solution, then it's up to us to help find one. This is a real time in women's lives where if we all come together, we can really make a difference."
Penny, Davina and Mariella were joined by fellow Wellbeing of Women ambassadors Dr. Nighat Arif, HELLO!'s Editor at Large Rosie Nixon, Dr. Aziza Sesay, Dr. Philippa Kaye and Lavina Mehta for the event.
