About Us

How and why we made a film

For many years, Emma Lazenby, director of ForMed Films CIC, has been wanting to know more about menopause and wanting to prepare and to help others to for this major life transition.  In 2018 she met Diane Danzebrink, a long-time campaigner for education around menopause.  They started planning a film to educate people about the early stages of menopause (perimenopause). Nurse specialist, Hazel Hayden, joined the discussion in 2020.

In 2022, with support from The Burdett Trust for Nursing, The National Lottery, in collaboration with Menopause Support and Bristol Menopause Clinic, ForMed raised the funds to make Cycle of Change – Understanding Menopause.

In order to make this film, ForMed Films:

  • Surveyed over 450 women about their concerns, experiences and advice about menopause
  • Ran workshops with 23 women discussing different stages of menopause
  • Interviewed 18 people who spoke in-depth about their experiences
  • Included the voices of 32 women from interviews and workshops

 With thanks

ForMed films would especially like to thank the women for sharing their experiences and telling their stories to help others. With twenty hours of interview content, the team condensed these experiences and stories down to a five-minute film.

Thank you to The Burdett Trust for Nursing, Menopause Support and Bristol Menopause for funding this production, and to The National Lottery community fund for funding workshops, survey and interviews.

Who made the film?

Emma Lazenby
Film Director, ForMed Films CIC

Liz Harkman

Producer, ForMed Films

Diane Danzebrink
Founder & CEO, Menopause Support

Hazel Hayden

Advanced Practise Nurse, Director of Bristol Menopause

It should be taught as part of body awareness and biological changes for young girls alongside menstruation so that we are taught not to fear it’