At 62, Vanessa is in her post-menopause phase after a hysterectomy in her 40s put her in medically induced menopause. When she was going through it over two decades ago, things were quite different to how they are today.

“None of this was talked about in families, the community, the workplace or media back then. It’s not that I couldn’t talk about it, it just wasn’t done.”

She believes circumstances are much better for women today, with employers developing menopause policies and people being much more open about this topic.

After decades of working in the corporate world, Vanessa began modelling as a classic model just four years ago. “I don’t give a scoobies about getting older – it’s a privilege and I’m excited to see what unfolds,” she says of post-menopausal life.