Amsterdam’s CONNECTED HEALTH WEEKEND Puts Women’s Health Centre Stage

Will you join?

Only 29% of women fully open up about their health and well-being worries - this event will break the silence

The Connected Health Weekend brings together experts, advocates, and health specialists to provide practical guidance, safe conversations, and reliable information on the real challenges women face.

It’s perimenopause month, and hormones and health are all over the news. Lots of talking, but is anything being done?

Well now it is! Please join the Connected Health Weekend in Amsterdam on 27 & 28 September - an event placing women’s perspectives at the heart of the conversation.

The two-day event is led by Nicolette Lazarus (founder of Womanship, NL), and Suzanne Rethans (host of the podcast We Zijn Toch Niet Gek?) alongside an internationally recognized menopause specialist, Dr. Louise Newson (UK). Together, they are bringing more than 80 clinicians, storytellers, and advocates to the stage.

Full agenda and details are here womanship.co/about-weekend

Women’s health in crisis

Women’s health has long been sidelined, especially when it comes to hormones, menopause, mental health, and the silent struggles faced by so many.

1.8 million working women in the Netherlands are in the 45–65 age group, meaning at least one-third of the female workforce is going through perimenopause or menopause (Wageningen Economic Research).
80% of Dutch perimenopausal women report symptoms, with a third saying these often affect their lives and work (ScienceDirect)
Each year, over 170,000 women in NL experience menopausal complaints severe enough to impact work performance (Socio-Economic Council / STVDA)

Women don’t receive the same healthcare as men (Vrije Universiteit, 2025, Amsterdam)
Women are underrepresented in medical research (AAMC, Association of American Medical Colleges)
Menopause affects over 450 million women worldwide (New Security Beat, 2024).
Women’s health research receives only a fraction of the funding allocated to male-focused conditions (Nature, 2023; Gavi, 2023).
Preventive action on women’s health could significantly reduce healthcare costs — as the most vulnerable 20% of the population (mostly women with chronic and mental health issues) account for a disproportionate share of healthcare spending. (University of Amsterdam)

Hormones & women’s health centre stage

When Nicolette Lazarus, founder of Womanship and initiator of the Connected Health Weekend, faced perimenopause depression in isolation, she realised just how many women are suffering with their worries in silence.

She set out to create the kind of support and open conversation she wished she’d had.

Only 29% of women feel able to fully open up about their worries. Even with their closest friends. Yet almost 74% say they feel better simply by sharing in a safe space, shows Womanship’s independent research.

“Women are not taken seriously enough by the health sector. We’re told to keep going, to keep quiet, to put others first. But our health, our hormones, and our stories deserve centre stage. The Connected Health Weekend will be a safe space for us to feel empowered, informed, and connected,” says Nicolette Lazarus.

“For too long, women’s suffering has been fuelled by misunderstood science. At Connected Health Weekend, I’ll be unpicking the evidence and exploring how we can change the future of women’s health,” adds Dr. Louise Newson.

“September is Perimenopause Month. The mental health crisis among women and girls is deepening, and misinformation about women’s health is exploding online. Connected Health Weekend is a timely, urgent answer, bringing together clinicians, advocates, and storytellers to offer real facts, real support, and real hope.” says Suzanne Rethans

Timed for Perimenopause Month, Connected Health Weekend (CHW) brought together more than 80 speakers, clinicians, storytellers, and advocates for a two-day programme focused on hormones, resilience, sexuality, mental health, and the real challenges women face. The event takes a holistic approach to women’s health, offering sessions that span medicine, mental health, sexuality, finance, and other related topics. From headline menopause specialists like Dr. Louise Newson and Prof. Herman Depypere to open conversations about sexuality and mental well-being, CHW is a must-attend for anyone ready to see women’s health and well-being taken seriously.

Full agenda and details are here womanship.co/about-weekend

Headline speakers:

Dr. Louise Newson: internationally recognized menopause specialist, author, and founder of Newson Health
Prof. Herman Depypere: Head of Gynaecology at Ghent University Hospital
Dr. Nora Hendriks: Dutch gynaecologist and hormone health innovator
Dr. William Declerck: co-founder of Uma Health, Belgium
Plus over a dozen other leading clinicians, advocates, and storytellers

Programme Highlights

Talks, panels, and workshops tailored to individual interests
Documentary screening: The M Factor
Expert training for healthcare professionals
HR & workplace sessions (pre-event, 26 Sept, with Vi Health)
On-site podcast studio for media interviews and content creation
Wellness Marketplace: connecting women to trusted professionals and resources

A New Kind of Health Gathering

CHW offers a deeply personal, evidence-based programme where every woman can plot her own course. Across roundtable discussions, workshops, and panels, topics include:

Hormones & Menopause: Groundbreaking sessions from world-leading menopause experts like Dr. Louise Newson and Prof. Herman Depypere.

Sexuality & Relationships: Open conversations about desire, intimacy, and the realities of women’s sexual health.

Mental Resilience & Brain Health: Burnout, neurodivergence, memory, stress, and imposter syndrome.

Fertility & Reproductive Health: Fertility journeys, Women of Colour & menopause, ethical non-monogamy.

Work & Finance: Menopause at work, productivity, investing, and financial well-being.

Lifestyle & Body: Nutrition, yoga, digital balance, and more.

Resilience & Leadership: Storytelling, empowerment, and midlife leadership.

Attendees choose their own journey, no one-size-fits-all, just real stories, objective facts, and real support.

Beyond the Weekend

CHW is just the start. Womanship’s mission is to connect women with health and wellness professionals who can help them thrive, through events, community, and a forthcoming Wellness Marketplace. Because when women Share more, they don’t just Worry less, they find the right support, validation, and care.