My name is Thy Dark, pronounced like "tee." I am a first-generation Vietnamese American and have lived in Wyandotte County since 1999. I’m married with three children and have worked as a Tracheostomy Program Coordinator and Respiratory Therapist at Children’s Mercy for 21 years. Since April 2022, I’ve also been a board member of the Wyandotte Health Foundation, driven by my passion for children’s and women’s health.
My own health journey began unexpectedly with an Instagram post by Dr. Mary-Clarie Haver. She discussed the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and highlighted the increased risk of conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to a significant drop in estrogen. As she listed the symptoms, I was shocked to realize I was experiencing many of them: brain fog, joint pain without injury, and heightened body temperature, among others. There are over fifty symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause.
This realization sparked my research to educate myself about how to manage my symptoms. Unfortunately, not all women know how to advocate for their health and often rely on their healthcare providers for answers. But what if those providers are unaware or unable to help?
Women deserve informed conversations about their experiences during this phase of life. They deserve to feel heard, and their concerns should never be dismissed. It is crucial for physicians and other healthcare professionals to receive more training in perimenopause and menopausal health. Conversations about what women can expect and how to manage these changes should begin much earlier—well before symptoms appear.
I aspire for all women to have access to the information and resources that empower and support their health throughout their lives.
