In 1997, two women – one in Kansas and the other in New York – were becoming frustrated with the lack of beneficial and comprehensive health care information available to them, especially on the topic of menopause. So they teamed together and formed ProjectAWARE.

The mission of this nonprofit organization is to provide “menopausal and pre-menopausal women with complete and comprehensive information regarding all resources, therapies, and research data currently available, so that armed with this knowledge, women can make informed decisions regarding every healthcare option.”

ProjectAWARE, also known as the Association of Women for the Advancement of Research & Education, has since built to a team of eight and, through its website, gives detailed information about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including synthetic HRT, natural (bio-identical) HRT, and alternatives to hormones, such as herbal remedies.

The site also touches on the possible link between HRT and breast cancer and other serious illnesses, and gives background on studies and trials that have made HRT a controversial subject over the past few years.

One of the best resources I’ve found on the site are the personal, heartfelt stories of women detailing their journey through menopause and beyond. As women, we find strength in numbers. Just knowing that someone else is experiencing the same symptoms or fears as she approaches “the change,” gives us added confidence to tackle the rough road ahead.

SOURCE: Hormone Replacement Therapy › ProjectAWARE answers questions about menopause