The M Factor 2: Before The Pause

Sponsored by:
Art by Meenakshi Sinha

Join us at Kirkland Performance Center for an educational, empowering, and entertaining evening featuring a special screening of The M Factor 2: Before the Pause. This important event is designed for anyone ages 35 years old and up who wants to better understand perimenopause, menopause, hormonal health, and the realities surrounding this major life transition. Men are welcome and encouraged to attend as part of the conversation.

The evening will be hosted by comedian and advocate Barbie Applegate, who will kick off the event with her signature comedy and relatable insights before the screening begins. Following the film, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a live conversation with a panel featuring a distinguished lineup of local health and wellness experts, including Dr. Eva Miller, Dr. Hannah Bressler, Dr. Alexa Longfellow, and menopause personal trainer Dawni Ray Shaw.

Steeped in evidence-based research and emerging science, The M Factor 2: Before the Pause shines a powerful light on perimenopause — the often-overlooked decade leading up to menopause that can dramatically impact women’s physical health, mental well-being, careers, relationships, and overall quality of life. Despite affecting millions of women, perimenopause symptoms are frequently dismissed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed by the healthcare system, leaving many women silently struggling without answers or support.

This documentary puts perimenopause front and center in the conversation around women’s healthcare, creating space for honest dialogue while offering education, resources, and hope. Featuring leading physicians, advocates, and healthcare experts, the film explores the medical, cultural, and societal gaps that have long surrounded women’s hormonal health. It also addresses disparities affecting Black and Brown women, systemic shortcomings in healthcare, and the urgent need for more informed and compassionate support systems.

Whether you are personally navigating perimenopause, supporting a loved one, working in healthcare, or simply wanting to better understand this stage of life, this evening promises to be informative, validating, thought-provoking, and community-centered.