October is a busy and often overwhelming month — with Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns everywhere and World Menopause Awareness Day on the calendar. For many in our community, it can be triggering, noisy, and emotionally exhausting.

That’s why this month, I’m handing the microphone over to you — our incredible community. In this special episode, we share the things we wish our friends, families, workplaces, and the wider world really understood about navigating menopause after cancer.

Joining me for this honest (and slightly unpredictable!) chat are Rachel, Anna, and Rebecca — each bringing their unique perspective, warmth, and a few friendly rants along the way.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

04:50 Community Support and Awareness Initiatives

09:19 Treatment Transition and New Challenges

18:04 Balancing HRT with Healthy Lifestyle

22:10 Balancing Emotions and Motivation

25:50 "A Journey from Isolation to Insight"

26:53 Prioritising Self-Care Amidst Busy Life

31:20 "Realisation of Hidden Depression"

33:50 Coping with Anxiety Post-Cancer

40:23 Upcoming 50km Fundraising Walk

In this episode we talk about:

Join us in London on the 4th October for PAUSE LIVE menopause show. Use code MANDC10 for 10% off your tickets

Support our 50km fundraising challenge and sponsor us https://fundraiseformenopauseandcancer.raiselysite.com/search

Join Anna for an online Community Connect meet-up: https://menopauseandcancer.org/events/

Get a copy of Dani’s book to fins out about all your evidence-based treatment-options: https://amzn.eu/d/ddeS6AD

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In today’s episode, we’re exploring something that affects every single cancer survivor, yet often goes completely unspoken: the state of your nervous system, and how it might be silently shaping your menopause symptoms.

I am joined once again by the brilliant Dr Louise Oliver, GP and certified breathing practitioner, whose insights on snoring, mouth breathing and menopause had a huge response when she first appeared on the podcast. This time, the focus shifts deeper — to the autonomic nervous system (ANS), how it’s impacted by the loss of oestrogen, and why your breathing patterns may be the key to finding better balance.

Together they explore:

• The two branches of the autonomic nervous system — and why so many survivors feel stuck in "fight or flight"
• Why oestrogen affects breathing efficiency — and what happens when it’s suddenly removed through treatment
• How disrupted breathing might worsen hot flushes, anxiety, night sweats, gut issues, and poor sleep
• Most importantly, what you can do to feel better

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

09:06 Chronic Anxiety and Sympathetic Nervous System

12:45 Stress Response and Physical Discomfort

14:09 Balancing Autonomic Nervous System

26:29 "Check Your Breathing Habits"

29:43 Breathing Techniques

Missed our first episode with Dr Louise Oliver?

Listen to: Ep 132 – Does the Way You Breathe Make Your Menopause Symptoms Worse? https://podfollow.com/the-menopause-and-cancer-podcast

Get your copy of Navigating Menopause After Cancer: https://amzn.eu/d/6HTJ4hU

Information from Dr. Oliver: https://www.drlouiseolivertherapeuticlifecoaching.com/post/stress-menopause - Great diagram of the menopausal autonomic nervous system dysfunction model in this blog.

https://www.drlouiseolivertherapeuticlifecoaching.com/post/health-and-well-being-jigsaw-puzzle

Learn more about our work: menopauseandcancer.org

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

The menopause transition after cancer can feel overwhelming — it’s hard to know what to do next, how to process it all, or even where to start. This episode offers a gentle, creative way in.

Rory Green shares her own story as a cancer survivor, writer and psychotherapist, navigating menopause, and how writing became a powerful outlet for healing, release, and self-discovery. Rory runs transforative Write To Be You workshops and today, she tells us how we could all make a start to tap into the healing powers of putting pen to paper.

We talk about:

• Why writing is more than just words on a page
• How journaling supports emotional wellbeing after treatment
• The magic of small, honest moments
• Tips for anyone wanting to start (or restart) writing for themselves

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

03:36 "Tyranny of the Red Pen"

09:57 Creating a Safe, Warm Haven

15:49 Guided Imagination Journey Experience

21:06 Healing Space for Women

28:04 Feelback: Emotional Response Sharing

31:52 "Intentional Journaling Practice"

35:42 Returning to Self Through Connection

37:29 "Creating Safe Spaces for Truth"

40:16 "Invitation to Self-Expression"

Here’s more info on Rory and her beautiful work: https://www.writetobeyou.com/

Buy my book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, we’re joined by Dr Carys Sonnenberg — GP, menopause specialist, and women’s health expert — for a practical, empowering workshop all about bladder health.

We ask the questions many of us wonder but rarely say out loud:

• What’s normal when it comes to bladder habits?
• How often is too often to wee?
• Urinary tract infections and treatments
• Prolapse and what helps

Dr Carys breaks it all down for us — from understanding how cancer treatment, menopause, and pelvic floor changes can affect bladder function, to simple and effective things you can do to feel more confident and in control.

We also explore what can help, including:

• Pelvic floor exercises
• Lifestyle strategies
• Hormone-free treatments
• Medications that may be suitable for cancer survivors

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

04:04 Understanding Bladder Health Issues

07:24 Discussing Sensitive Health Symptoms

12:27 Pelvic Floor and Bladder Health

15:10 Urinary Health and Hygiene Tips

19:11 Managing Acute & Recurrent UTIs

21:34 Managing Recurrent Urine Infections

24:54 Managing Bladder Urges & Incontinence

33:20 Individualised Pelvic Floor Treatment

34:59 Cancer, Intimacy, and Body Image

44:46 Pelvic Floor Exercise Misconceptions

50:01 Overcoming Pelvic Floor Challenges

Buy my book here: Navigating Menopause After Cancer: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

You can find Dr Sonnenberg here https://rowenahealth.co.uk/

These are resources Dr Sonnenberg mentions: https://thepogp.co.uk/resources/booklets/

https://squeezyapp.com/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode, I speak with Laura – a young cancer survivor who was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (a form of cervical cancer) at just 31 years old. Like so many others, her treatment pushed her into early menopause, and she was left with more questions than answers.

Laura opens up about:

• The emotional shock of menopause in her early 30s
• What she wishes someone had told her when symptoms started
• The turning point that came with seeing a menopause specialist
• Why art and creative expression became her unexpected lifeline
• How she’s felt herself slowly transforming — from caterpillar to butterfly, wings a little clipped, but flying nonetheless

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

09:15 Navigating Menopause After Cancer

11:30 Unmonitored HRT, Chronic Fatigue Struggle

14:49 Navigating Life Post-Cancer Treatment

18:39 Delayed Diagnosis and Sharing Experiences

22:34 "Sharing Cancer and Menopause Journeys"

27:02 "Trusting Intuition & Menopause Guidance"

29:25 "Feeling Seen and Understood"

31:55 Improving Patient Access Initiative

35:24 Rediscovering Art Through Life's Changes

Buy my book here: Navigating Menopause After Cancer: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

Laura’s Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/art.is.healing/?hl=en

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

Episode 180 - No amount of alcohol is safe. Now what?

In this episode, I revisit the topic of alcohol after cancer, following powerful updates from the World Cancer Research Fund’s “Alcohol and Cancer: Let’s Talk” campaign.

We now know alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including breast and bowel. And while the safest amount to drink is none, real life drinking habits are of course much more complicated.

In this episode, I share my own journey with alcohol and I ask you gently to reflect on your own relationship with it. We explore how we can navigate that, without guilt, without judging and with real understanding.

Learn more: World Cancer Research Fund – Alcohol & Cancer

Buy my book: Navigating Menopause After Cancer: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Alcohol and Cancer: New Insights

06:55 "Navigating Alcohol After Cancer Diagnosis"

11:27 Redefining Alcohol Consumption Mindset

13:12 Alcohol Journey During Cancer Battle

18:22 Alcohol Sensitivity Post-Treatment

21:48 Navigating Sobriety and Social Perception

25:21 "Finding Self Through Sobriety"

28:42 Decade of Sobriety Reflections

33:39 Alcohol Guidance and Support Offer

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, I’m joined once again by the incredible Dr Alison Macbeth – a top menopause specialist supporting breast cancer patients, and one of the key medical contributors to my book Navigating Menopause After Cancer.

This time, we’re diving deep into the topic of vaginal oestrogen after breast cancer — and what you’ll hear is the most up-to-date and comprehensive guidance out there.

We explore what’s happening across the world when it comes to access, safety, and prescribing practices — and zoom in on the current situation in the UK.

We talk about the real barriers that cancer survivors face when trying to get treatment for vaginal dryness and genitourinary symptoms, and we unpack the science behind the risks and benefits.

If you’ve been told you can’t have vaginal oestrogen, this episode is especially for you.

The landscape is shifting — and I want you to feel informed, empowered, and ready to explore your options.

This conversation and Dr Macbeth’s work, are a true gift to our community. I can’t wait for you to listen.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

08:06 Menopausal Urinary and Vaginal Issues

11:30 Breast Cancer's Impact on Women's Health

16:09 Vaginal Care: Tips and Products

17:29 Lubricant vs Moisturiser in Healthcare

24:40 Menopause Hormone Guidance Update

27:56 Aromatase Inhibitors and Vaginal Oestrogen

35:16 Vaginal Oestrogen and Cancer Risk

37:29 Medication Non-Compliance in Medical Studies

42:26 Menopause Care and GP Options

Get your copy of Navigating Menopause After Cancer here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

Find out more about Dr Macbeth here: https://healthinmenopause.co.uk/meet-the-team/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

Welcome back to The Menopause and Cancer Podcast. Today, I’m joined by someone whose work has made a massive impact on our community — Mr. Vikram Talaulikar, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Associate Professor at UCL. He’s helped shape a groundbreaking part of my book: the table outlining the safety of HRT after all types of cancer.

In this episode, we explore what it’s really like to come off HRT after a cancer diagnosis — something some describe as a huge worry. We also hear from Rachel and Jo, two fab women from our community who share their experiences with you. You can find Rachel here https://midlifeinterrupted.com/ and Jo here https://www.instagram.com/jomenneernutrition/?hl=en

We talk about:

• Why stopping HRT can feel so traumatic
• Whether it’s safer to stop suddenly or wean off slowly
• What non-hormonal options are available — from medications to CBT and complementary therapies
• How we can better support survivors facing this experience

We also talk about the survey I’ve launched with Mr. Talaulikar and Dr. Basel Watter, which is helping us better understand the experiences of people who navigate menopause. If that’s you, please take part.

The link is here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=8y1ywoOIqkup1ZOI4kKt2B5ITslOQvhElyTxa010jzlUNTdRRFNaRkJBWkk1UzNOTDRaMUE3RDdaTiQlQCN0PWcu

And I’ll be sharing a few powerful stories from members of our community who know this pain firsthand.

If you're a healthcare professional, Navigating Menopause After Cancer may be a really valuable resource for your practice — and yes, every chapter is fully referenced: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigating-Menopause-After-Cancer-comprehensive/dp/1068499907

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

03:45 HRT Post-Cancer

11:23 Stopping HRT Gradually or Suddenly

16:56 Exploring Non-Hormonal Treatment Options

19:18 Navigating Post-Menopause Cancer Challenges

21:45 Rachel’s story

23:40 Jo’s Story

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub