Written by: Dawn of The Underground
Filmmaker and advocate Charles Mattocks is confronting stigma, silence, and the deep gaps that persist in women’s healthcare.
Over the past decade, Mattocks has crafted some of the most moving and socially conscious health-based television available—addressing everything from diabetes and cancer to rare diseases and now, menopause. His projects transcend traditional medical storytelling, transforming into human-centered journeys that explore emotion, identity, and healing in profoundly personal ways.
Each of his productions unfolds over several days in immersive, retreat-like settings. A handful of participants come together to share their stories while experts, doctors, and holistic practitioners live alongside them—discussing, teaching, and healing collectively. It’s a rare fusion of education, empathy, and real-world insight, designed to dismantle the walls that separate medicine from humanity.
“These aren’t just shows,” Charles explains. “They’re spaces for truth. People arrive burdened and leave lighter—because for once, they feel understood.”
Why Charles Does What He Does
Charles’ projects often stem from personal experience. Many of the diseases he highlights—lupus, prostate cancer, sickle cell, gastroparesis—have touched his family and friends directly. “I can’t ignore it when people I care about are suffering,” he says. “That’s what drives me.”
For Charles, the most frustrating part is the awareness gap. “We pour billions into healthcare marketing,” he says, “yet crucial topics—especially those impacting communities of color—are barely discussed. When was the last time we saw a major awareness push for sickle cell, or for menopause? Hardly ever.”
His mission isn’t just to inform; it’s to change the narrative. To make healthcare media human again. “I do it for others,” he says quietly, “because maybe one day, someone will do the same for me.”
Why Menopause—and Why Now?
Mattocks’ newest series, Four Days, takes on one of the least understood yet most universal female experiences: menopause. The inspiration came when a close friend confided in him about her debilitating symptoms and the lack of guidance she’d received from doctors.
“I told her I’d make something that tells this story,” Charles recalls. “And I meant it.”
What he found during his research was staggering: by 2025, over a billion women will be in menopause, with more than 75% facing symptoms that seriously affect their quality of life—yet resources remain shockingly limited.
Even more importantly, Charles insists that men must be part of the dialogue.
“These are our mothers, wives, sisters, and partners,” he says. “If we remove the shame and make menopause a shared conversation, we build empathy—and that changes everything.”
Bringing “Four Days” to Life
Despite financial hurdles and industry skepticism—some rooted in the notion of a man tackling a “women’s issue”—Charles pressed ahead. He joined forces with Jill Chmielewski, RN, a leading voice in women’s hormone health, to create a deeply personal, globally relevant docuseries.
Filmed in Costa Rica, Four Days follows five extraordinary women as they share honest, emotional experiences with renowned experts, including:
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Dr. Betsy Greenleaf
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Dr. Diana Bitner
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Dr. Suruchi
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Dr. Sangeeta Pati
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Dr. Jayne Morgan
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Dr. Judith Joseph
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Dr. Cat Brown
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Hemalayaa
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Jane Durst-Pulkins
The result is a rare, vulnerable portrait of women navigating one of life’s most transformative stages—with courage, humor, and strength. “Even highly educated women—doctors, CEOs—told us they never got the full picture about their own bodies,” Charles notes. “That’s not acceptable. That’s why this series exists.”
The Marley Legacy Lives On
Charles Mattocks’ creative fire runs in the family—he’s the nephew of Bob Marley, and in many ways, he continues that legacy through purpose rather than music.
Bob once said, “If my life is just for me, I don’t want it.”
That sentiment is woven through everything Charles does.
He isn’t chasing celebrity. He’s chasing change. His work is storytelling as service—films that function as medicine for the soul. His documentary about his mother’s battle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) sparked crucial discussion around chronic pain and medical dismissal, paving the way for broader understanding of the condition—recently revisited in Netflix’s Take Care of Maya.
Charles also has his own health story: he reversed his Type 2 diabetes naturally. That journey turned him into an international advocate and author with the American Diabetes Association, earning recognition as a Blue Circle Champion by the International Diabetes Federation, with appearances on The Today Show, CNN, Dr. Oz, and more.
What’s Next: Building a Global Movement
The Four Days series will debut on Ravoke.com and select streaming platforms in late November or early December 2025. A companion series filmed in the UK is already in development, examining how menopause and andropause affect couples and relationships.
Charles will also speak at the Pause Live Summit (PauseLive.com), furthering a global dialogue about hormone health, aging, and inclusivity in wellness storytelling.
Turning Pain Into Purpose
Through every project—from diabetes to menopause—Charles Mattocks is giving voice to the voiceless, reshaping health media into something deeply empathetic and empowering.
He’s not just creating films. He’s building safe spaces.
He’s transforming silence into awareness, and awareness into healing.
Because for Charles, storytelling isn’t a career—it’s a calling.
And just like his uncle once said:
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
Charles may not sing—but his stories strike the same chord.
They heal hearts. They make people feel seen.
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