Star comment: Courageous Dame Kelly Holmes shows we must change thinking on issues such as menopause

After a seeming-eternity of the issue being swept under the carpet, and women being urged to “got on with it” without making a fuss, society is finally become more open, tolerant, and inclusive. It is about time, too.

And yet is is bizarre that a change that affects half of our population has not been widely discussed or considered until recent years.

Dame Kelly joins the like of Davina McCall in highlighting the challenges faced by women and the effect that can have on them in the workplace and in life generally. She today speaks openly and candidly to the Star.

A situation that can bring a profound impact on the health of an individual should be understood by all. Discussion is good and healthy for all of us and there should now be more understanding and support for women, especially if it is impacting on them in the workplace. HR departments across the region ought to look to their own policies, to find ways to empower, understand, and enable those who find their ability changed, if only for a little while.

Dame Kelly has been courageous in speaking up on the personal impact the physical changes have had on her – and also the emotional realisation that this is a sign of her moving on to a new chapter in her life. She is a force for good, as she was on the track, and her comments will help legions of women who might otherwise suffer in silence.

We must be more aware and change our thinking on such issues as we are more open about the physical, and emotional challenges that so many face on their journey through life.