September: everybody needs good neighbours

Plus science, new starts and the women who are HRT negative

1. Working Well

Raise the bar / Raze the bar

Baz spent last week at Raise 2024, a flagship conference — hosted by Google and sponsored by YouTube — focusing on the evolution of women’s sport.

It’s so encouraging. For the longest time these events attracted charities and not-for-profits yet the Raise room also included global powerbrokers: NGBs, superbrands, investment groups, multinational clubs, TV networks and more.

The guestlist itself was a statement of intent, and highlights (beyond networking) included the inspirational talks by women such as recent newsmaker Nikki Doucet (pictured), Demetra Pinsent and Kayla Green.

All good, but here’s the but. Women’s sport is on a journey from Point A (the present) to Point B (being profitable, popular and a global priority) yet much current investment hits only the top of the pyramid; it’s largely channeled into better marketing by and for athletes, teams and clubs.

This isn’t bad as all need a platform, but let’s remember the overall platform — the infrastructure of women’s sport — is fragile. Lightweight. Without facilities, great coaching and a female-centred approach, up-top investment sans strategy will not address the gaps in our DNA. It’s not system change.

Still and all, progress is progress. Investment is coming, advocates are multiplying and women’s sport is changing. Even if there’s much work to do …

2. The World at Well

Everybody needs good neighbours

Baz has left The Well HQ to open a small book shop in Cumbernauld, so join us in wishing her …

No. September saw Open Day come to our House of Sport HQ; a sort of Fresher’s Fare for all the businesses that share our London home and a fantastic chance for us to meet our fellows in sport, health and tech.

Fellows like Dellaglio RugbyWorks, a charity embedding teamwork, respect and discipline in young people facing challenges, and Kinetic Foundation, which supports youngsters at risk of falling out of education.

There’s also Kitround, a no-brainer business that’s like Vinted for kids’ sportswear. What a great way to get more life out of kit that typically lasts a summer. Throw them all a follow on social – there’s a lot of good happening.

Sigh. You know what it’s like. When the work’s piling up it’s easy to not look up and see what’s around. With that, we’re grateful to HoS for the opportunity to get out of the tunnel and understand the inspiring work, and the potential for collaboration and support, that’s literally on our doorstep.

3. Thank you candidates …

Humbled and overwhelmed

You might’ve caught that there’s a job opening here at The Well HQ.

We’re looking for a Digital Marketing & Community Manager; someone to help us advance the mission through social media and in budding communities online and off.

We’d like to think it’s a decent gig but we’re not exactly impartial over here. So to the dozens of people who’ve applied – thank you. It’s been humbling, and pretty overwhelming …

Nonetheless, we’ve started the big sort and will have an announcement very shortly. Hang tight.

4. Here Comes the Science Bit

HRT benefits for women predisposed to Alzheimer’s

Amid a recent review of papers on menopause, Dr Emma happened upon this investigation into HRT and its potential for slowing down brain ageing.

As you may know, significant sections of the population are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease and, among other factors, the decline of oestrogen during menopause puts women at a greater risk of neurological and cognitive problems.

Previous investigations into HRT as a potential solution to cognitive slowdown have proved inconclusive, yet this paper published by the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease may just change the tide.

It concludes that early use of HRT (in a woman’s 40s, say) can slow down brain ageing in women with a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s.

The paper poses that effective and strategic use of HRT could decelerate neuropathology in what is currently a large and at-risk group.

5. Medical BS

I can’t take HRT so what are my options

Dr Bella says: I’m so eager to talk about this. For a lot of women in and around menopause, HRT is pure liberation. It can offer a new freedom from pain, angst and discomfort and, see above, new potential is always emerging.

HRT can do some wonderful things but for some women it’s a total no-go.

Often for health reasons — oestrogen-receptive cancers are a chief culprit — a significant cohort of women are excluded from the HRT progress machine and as a result can feel like they’re on the outside looking in.

This can be isolating and dejecting so we need to do much more to recognise and include those women in the overall conversation.

Research is pending on non-HRT solutions but in the meantime anti-depressants can be very effective in tackling mental and physical symptoms simultaneously. There are non-hormone meds to address hot flushes and sweats, while vaginal remedies, supplements and CBT can all do a job.

But HRT or no HRT, lifestyle is our first line of defence. Diet, exercise, sleep and stress management working in concert can bring huge comfort and relief. And this is the crossover point. Re HRT there are women who do / can and women who don’t / can’t. But that doesn’t mean there’s two camps. We need to talk and share more on what connects our experience, not what separates it.