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FORT McMURRAY — A local nonprofit is launching a new workshop aimed at opening conversations around perimenopause, a stage of life organizers say is often overlooked and rarely discussed.
The HeartSpark Collective says its event, titled Your Second Spring: Understanding Perimenopause, will be held May 31 at Keyano College and is designed to provide education, support and space for discussion among women in the community.
Founder Holly Hashimi said the initiative grew out of a longstanding gap in support for women navigating life transitions.
“I created HeartSpark to fill a gap I felt my whole life — as a child and as an adult,” Hashimi said. “Now I’m seeing that same gap for women navigating perimenopause. We deserve spaces where we can understand what’s happening to us, talk about it openly and feel supported through it.”
The session will be led by women’s health educator Chloe Skerlak and will focus on physical and emotional changes associated with perimenopause, along with strategies to support well-being. Organizers say participants will also take part in guided conversations and a creative reflection activity.
The nonprofit describes perimenopause as a transitional stage sometimes referred to as a “second puberty” or “second spring,” bringing hormonal and emotional shifts many women experience with limited information or support.
The workshop is part of a broader effort by the Fort McMurray-based organization to foster connection and improve access to education around women’s health and well-being.
Proceeds from the event will help fund free programming for girls, including a separate workshop scheduled for May 30 focused on menstrual health for participants aged eight to 13.
Organizers say the initiative is intended to support conversations across generations and reduce stigma around topics related to women’s health.
“When women are supported, informed and able to talk openly about their experiences, it changes what young girls grow up believing about their bodies,” the organization said in its release.
HeartSpark says it relies on community support to continue offering its youth programming, which focuses on mental health, creativity and building connections among girls.
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