Woman, 47, tragically took her own life after struggling with menopause
16.06.2023 - 07:01
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Bar staff at a pub in Swinton are setting up a menopause support network in memory of a woman who tragically took her own life.
47-year-old Charlotte Sumbland, who worked at a Cheshire nail salon, died after struggling with symptoms of perimenopause. Her friend Stacy Stewart, who works at The White Swan, says she is still reeling from the day she found out her friend of 35 years had passed away.
“I still remember the phone call,” Stacy explains. “I just couldn`t believe it. Charlotte and I were so close and had children the same age – our sons, who are 16, were born nine days apart. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing when the news was given to me.
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“Charlotte had been talking a lot about the perimenopause – she felt panicky, stressed and suffered sweats. But I still can't believe she felt so bad that she felt she had no option but to do what she did.
“Part of the reason it's so hard to come to terms with is that Charlotte was always a problem solver. If you had an issue, she'd find a way forward. We had actually been on holiday to Spain the week before and she was enjoying herself but then would start panicking and sighing about her situation.”
Since Charlotte’s death, Stacy says she has heard of other women ‘who feel this desperate’ because of the menopause. “That's why it's important we do something not only to remember her but also to let other women know they are not on their own,” she says.
Last month, Stacy organised a sponsored walk in aid of the Menopause Charity, which works to improve women's and healthcare professionals' understanding of the menopause. The walk from St Anne’s Church in Clifton to Scout Moor in Rochdale