VISALIA, Cali (FOX26) — A Central Valley woman is sharing her deeply personal health journey in a new docu-series premiering later this month on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, hoping to break the silence around the different stages of menopause and help other women feel less alone.

Cindy Flores is featured in Balance, a four-part docu-series that explores perimenopause and menopause through the stories of women from different backgrounds, along with insight from leading medical experts.

For Flores, the project is rooted in a life-altering experience that began more than a decade ago.

In 2013, she went in for what she believed would be a routine surgery to remove ovarian cysts. Instead, complications during the procedure led to a perforated intestine, multiple corrective surgeries, and an unplanned hysterectomy. A cascade of events that permanently changed Flores’ life.

“The surgery went really bad,” Flores said. “One of the consequences was an unplanned hysterectomy, and that catapulted me into menopause.”

Flores spent months in the hospital and relied on a wheelchair for several years. She now lives with chronic pain and is considered disabled for life, but says she remains grateful to be alive and determined to share her story.

Despite the challenges, Flores says the experience also pushed her to pursue a lifelong dream of working in the entertainment industry. Years later, she reached out to two filmmakers she admired on social media, who were producing films focused on social justice issues.

That connection ultimately led her to “Balance”, that 4-part docu-series on Amazon and Apple TV. Initially, she thought she would be working for the show until she was asked to share her own journey, a harsh but unique testament of fortitude.

“I thought I was reaching out to work on their project,” Flores said. “They looked at me and said, ‘We think you need to be in it, not work on it.’”

The series addresses what Flores says is still a taboo subject, particularly within Latino families.

“Growing up in a Latin household, menopause was never talked about,” she said. “I don’t know what my mother experienced because we didn’t have those conversations.”

According to Flores, Balance aims to educate viewers about the signs and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, which can include hot flashes, brain fog, joint pain, sleep disturbances, and mood changes. It aslo encourages women to advocate for themselves in medical settings.

The series also highlights that menopause is a natural biological stage that every woman born with female reproductive organs will experience, though the timing and symptoms can vary widely.

Flores hopes the docu-series will empower women to ask questions, seek specialized care when needed, and lean on community, whether in their families or online.

“You’re not alone in this,” she said. “If sharing my story helps even one woman ask a question she didn’t know to ask before, then it’s worth it.”

Balance premieres January 30 on both streaming services, Amazon Prime and Apple TV.