The Menopause and Cancer Podcast

Within just a year of being diagnosed with breast cancer, lawyer mum and so-called ‘midlife-hipster’ George made the deeply personal decision to restart HRT.

This episode isn't about advocating for or against HRT after breast cancer, and it certainly isn't about telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do. Instead, it's about understanding one woman's journey and exploring the thoughts, emotions and experiences that shaped her decision.

This conversation also goes far beyond HRT. George speaks beautifully about something I know many women will recognise: feeling invisible in midlife. Long before she made the decision to r...

Heart disease is one of the biggest long-term health concerns facing cancer survivors after menopause. But before you panic, there is a lot more within your control than you might think. Just recently, I’ve seen several social media posts talking about how our risk of heart disease increases during menopause, especially if you’re not taking HRT.

I totally understand how, for many cancer survivors, that can feel so frightening.

After all, what do you do if HRT isn’t an option, or if the decision is far more complicated because of your cancer histor...

Whether it's joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, hot flushes or anxiety, it can feel frustrating when symptoms linger long after treatment ends. For many people, supplements seem like a logical place to look for menopause support, but with endless products, conflicting advice and cupboards full of half-used bottles, how do you know what's actually worth taking?

In this episode, I am once again joined by leading oncologist, researcher and integrative medicine specialist Professor Robert Thomas to explore the role supplements may play in supporting health and wellbeing after cancer.

Make sure to have...

Can turmeric really help with joint pain, inflammation and gut health after cancer? And why are so many people being told to avoid it?

In this fascinating conversation, I sit down with leading oncologist, researcher and integrative medicine expert Professor Robert Thomas to unpack the science behind turmeric, gut health and cancer recovery.

Prof Thomas shares why he believes many patients are receiving outdated advice about turmeric, explains where concerns about tamoxifen interactions originated, and explores what the latest research actually tells us. Together, we discuss the role of gut health in long-term wellbeing, why...

Four years ago, I sat down and recorded the very first episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast.

At the time, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know whether anyone would listen, whether I'd make it past a handful of episodes, or that four years later I'd still be here, talking to you every single week.

What began as a simple idea, to create the menopause resource I desperately wished I'd had after cancer, has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined.

Over the last four years...

In this inspiring episode, Dani is joined by two breast care clinical nurse specialists from Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to explore what’s possible when healthcare professionals truly listen, learn and work together to improve menopause care for women after cancer treatment.

If you’re a patient, this is a must-listen so that you can set realistic expectations of what’s possible. If you’re a healthcare professional, you’ll be blown away by what Jaqcui and her team have achieved through hard work and persistence.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Jacqui shares how she helped...

Who controls what happens between women’s legs after menopause?

It’s a confronting question, but one that sits at the heart of this episode.

In this short, powerful conversation, I am joined by menopause specialist and sexologist Dr Angela Wright to explore why so many women — particularly those who have had cancer — are still being denied access to vaginal and vulval oestrogen treatments. And why we’re not routinely having the conversation about sexual health after cancer treatment.

Despite being widely recognised as one of the most effective and low-risk treatments for genitourin...

Do you know your rights to work after a cancer diagnosis and with ongoing menopause symptoms?

From navigating time off, to returning to work, to managing menopause symptoms in the workplace, it can feel overwhelming to know what your rights are and what support you should expect.

I’m joined by Barbara Wilson, from Working With Cancer, who brings over 50 years of experience supporting people through cancer at work.

Together, we break this down in a really practical way— so you can feel more informed and more confident in advocating for yourself.

In...

In this very special community conversation, I sit down with a group of incredible women from our Menopause and Cancer community to explore something so many of us struggle with after cancer treatment… identity. I’m so grateful the group allowed me to get this conversation out to you! Lucky us.

Who are we now?

Together, we talk openly about the physical and emotional changes that can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves — from body image and confidence, to work, relationships, grief, loss, purpose and rebuilding.

Rather than bringing in an expert, I though...

In this episode, I’m joined by Rob and Andy, two partners navigating life alongside their wives through cancer and menopause.

I actually asked in our Facebook community if anyone’s partners would be willing to come on the podcast… and these two were put forward by their wives — earning themselves serious brownie points in the process.

This is a really honest conversation about what it feels like to be on the other side.

We talk about the overwhelm, the uncertainty, and that feeling of wanting to help but not always knowing how. From the...

In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Lisa, founder of Make 2nds Count and The House of Hope charity in Edinburgh, who is living with secondary breast cancer while continuing to support so many others.

This is an honest, heartfelt conversation about what it really means to live with ongoing cancer treatment. I ask Lisa if she feels excluded from other menopause conversations and even from the many cancer chats out there.

We talk about saying it as it is, the emotional reality of menopause and secondary cancer, and the strategies that help da...

In this episode, I’m joined by GP and menopause specialist Dr Helen Wall, and we’re exploring something that so many of you have been talking about in our community — struggling with brain fog, focus, memory, total overwhelm, and that feeling of just not feeling like you can manage anymore.

We often call it brain fog. But what if, for some of us, it could be something more?

Today, we’re diving into ADHD in women, and how it can show up — or become more noticeable — during menopause and after, especially cancer treatment.

Because th...

In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsey Lester, a British Menopause Society-accredited specialist and breast cancer survivor, for an essential conversation on bone health after cancer and menopause.

Bone health is one of the most common — and least talked about — long-term effects of cancer treatment. Whether your menopause was triggered suddenly by treatment or has developed over time, the impact on your bones can be significant.

We explore how treatments such as chemotherapy, endocrine therapies (including tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors), steroids, and treatment-induced menopause can all affect bone density — across different types of cancer, not just...

In this episode, I’m doing something a little different.

I’m sharing real stories of who I met, what went on in our menopause after cancer community, and real experiences of what menopause after cancer actually feels like. The parts that often go unspoken.

And alongside that, I’m answering your questions.

From hair to how long does menopause last to GLP-1’s and risk — this is a space to bring it all together.<...

When you’re thrown into menopause after breast cancer treatment, the symptoms can feel relentless: hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, joint pain, low mood to name a few.

And when conventional options feel limited, it is understandable that many people begin looking into herbal medicine.

But then the confusion starts.

- What herbal medicine actually is — and what it isn’t

- Is black cohosh safe?

- What about red clover and phyto-oestrogens?

- Are adaptogens like ashwagandha helpful — or risky?

- Could herbs interfere with endocrin...

In this honest and judgment-free conversation, Dani is joined by cancer survivors Emily and Anita to explore their relationship with alcohol after cancer and during menopause.

Together, they talk openly about questioning drinking habits, attempts to moderate or stop altogether, the social shifts that come with drinking less, and the impact on identity and relationships.

We know that no amount of alcohol is completely safe. Large studies show that alcohol increases the risk of at least seven different cancers, and it can also worsen menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, poor sleep, and anxiety. But...

In this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Susanna Unsworth, GP and menopause specialist at the Cambridge breast unit, to talk about why menopause after cancer can sometimes feel like such a complex and at times controversial area of medicine.

We explore why medical opinions can differ, why this space is not always black and white, and what happens when new research starts to challenge long-held assumptions.

A big focus of this conversation is the PIONEER trial, a Cambridge-led study looking at whether megestrol acetate — a drug that acts on t...

Today, we’re exploring the evidence with medical acupuncturist Maria Vega.

Many cancer survivors experience menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, joint pain, insomnia and anxiety — often while navigating complex treatment plans or endocrine therapy. For some, HRT may not be an option, which leads many people to explore complementary approaches like acupuncture.

But does acupuncture really work? And what does the research say?

In this episode, I’m joined by Maria Vega, a medical acupuncturist who works in integrative oncology supporting people after cancer with a whole array of evidence-based strategies.

We e...

On this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, we’re marking Anal Cancer Awareness Day (21 March) by shining a light on a cancer that is often misunderstood, stigmatised, and rarely talked about.

Anal cancer is caused by HPV, just like cervical cancer, yet it doesn’t receive the same awareness or open conversation. It might not feel as “pink” or as socially comfortable to talk about as breast cancer. It’s not a cancer that gets glossy campaigns or big awareness drives. There’s often stigma. There’s embarrassment. There’s silence.

And that silence can leav...

One of the hardest things about fatigue after cancer is not knowing what’s causing it. Is it the lasting impact of cancer treatment? Is it menopause? Is it hormone therapy — or all of it together? For many people, it’s impossible to tease apart, and that uncertainty alone can be exhausting. And please don’t tell me to ‘do less’ to feel better!

Fatigue is one of the most common and most misunderstood long-term effects of cancer and its treatment. Many people are told it’s “normal”, something they just have to live with. But for those experiencing...

Grief isn’t a ‘real menopause symptom’, I know, but… how can I host a podcast for people affected by cancer and not talk about grief!

Grief isn’t only about losing someone we love. It can also mean the loss of fertility, the loss of identity when our bodies and sexuality feel unfamiliar, the loss of certainty about our future, or even the loss of trust in a body that feels changed by treatment. And grief comes up in most of our conversations!

So in this episode, I am joined by therapeutic coach Henny Flynn to t...

What happens after active cancer treatment ends, when you’re sent on your way with hormone therapy such as tamoxifen or Aromatase Inhibitors and expected to just get on with life?

I’m joined by oncologist Claire Macaulay, a breast oncologist whose work focuses on what happens when patients fall off what she powerfully describes as the “treatment conveyor belt.” We’re also joined by a whole group of people from our community who will inform how this session goes.

Together we explore:

If you’re feeling low on motivation to start exercising or to keep up the good work, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by Christine. Christine is here to remind you that even when life changes overnight, strength, movement and hope can still be found.

Christine had to relearn how to walk after cancer and then to relearn how to cycle. Just one month after lung surgery, she took part in Tour de 4, founded by Chris Hoy. She cycled 38 miles and raised over £10,000 for Cancer Research UK, as part of an ev...

If cancer treatment pushed you into menopause, you may be sitting there scratching your head, wondering what on earth is happening to your body, why no one warned you, and where you’re supposed to turn for support. That’s exactly where Holly found herself.

In this episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, I’m joined by Holly Adcock, who first had vicious night sweats during chemotherapy and later came into our community through one of our in-person Menopause and Cancer workshops. Holly shares her lived experience of navigating menopause after cancer while facing complex and ongoin...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Amy Comander, an expert I’ve been wanting to bring onto the podcast for a long time.

Amy is a breast oncologist, lifestyle medicine physician, and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner based at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is, quite honestly, many people’s dream oncologist — someone who truly understands that surviving cancer is about far more than getting through treatment.

In this conversation, we start with menopause and ask an important question: what drove a breast oncologist to skill up so deeply in menopause and lifestyle medicine?

We exp...

This week, we’re diving into something that so many of us know far too well — scanxiety. That mix of fear, worry, and sleepless nights that builds before routine scans can be overwhelming on its own… But when you add menopause after cancer into the mix, it can get even more intense.

To help us unpack what’s really going on, I’m joined by Louise Baker, an applied neuroscience specialist who works with people recovering from brain tumours. Louise explains what happens inside the brain during moments of stress and fear, and shares practical tools to help manag...

Episode 201 - Sexual Health After Cancer Treatment: A Practical Show-And-Tell Guide

In this practical workshop, we focus on sexual health after cancer. This is a hands-on, show-and-tell session, designed to normalise conversations about sexual health and offer realistic options for managing discomfort after cancer, whether you’re navigating this alone or with a partner. We’ll look at dilators, compare vibrators and get into the nitty-gritty of it all!

You’ll learn:

In this empowering episode, Dani talks with Dr. Zainab Wasim, an Oncology Specialty Doctor and Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, about how simple, evidence-based lifestyle changes can transform life after cancer.

You will learn what lifestyle medicine actually is, how the key pillars: movement, nutrition, sleep, stress and social connection - can support recovery, and why starting small can make a real difference to how you feel.

Dr. Zainab shares insights from her 12-week coaching pilot for breast cancer survivors, which achieved measurable improvements in wellbeing and confidence, and was featured by the British Society of...

In this New Year episode, Dani is joined once again by Dr Shilpa McQuillan, GP, gynaecologist and menopause specialist for an action-packed conversation that gives you the tools and confidence to build your own personalised menopause-after-cancer care plan.

If you’ve ever felt lost in the system, unsure what to ask, or left to manage symptoms on your own, this episode will help you make sense of it all. Together, Dani and Shilpa break down what good care should look like, how clinicians can keep the door open even when HRT isn’t an option, and how you...

Why is it so hard to get the right help, ask the right questions, and know what to do when it comes to menopause after cancer?

In this episode, Dani is joined by Dr Shilpa McQuillan, a gynaecologist, GP, and menopause specialist - for an honest conversation about why menopause after cancer remains so difficult to talk about, both for patients and clinicians.

Together they explore what happens when menopause is left untreated, its impact on mental health, sexual wellbeing, and work, and why empowering patients in decision-making leads to better outcomes. 

This i...

This Christmas Eve, we’re doing something a little different.

Instead of our usual expert interview, today I’m bringing you some of our Menopause and Cancer team — the powerhouses of women behind the clinic, workshops, research, retreats, fundraising, and support you receive throughout the year.

It’s a warm, honest, hopeful conversation about what it really takes to run a small organisation with a giant mission, and the love, courage, chaos and humour that gets us through.

Most of all, we want to say thank you.

For listening. For showing up. For...

I promise I’m not turning The Menopause and Cancer Podcast into a sex podcast… (well, not entirely 😉).

But when you hear this week’s conversation with Cay, a much-loved member of our community, you’ll understand why I had to share it.

Cay’s story is a wild and wonderful mix of pleasure, perimenopause, cancer, heartbreak, healing, discovery and hope.

We talk about:

Why she thinks I should be wearing sexy underwear under my tracksuits.

The spontaneous post-gym encounter that turned into a big life lesson.

Tantra, trips...

This week’s episode is a special collaboration with the brilliant team from Rad Chat; the multi-award-winning, first therapeutic radiographer–led oncology podcast. And they’re with us on the show today!

Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara bring decades of frontline cancer experience, and in this joint conversation we explore menopause after cancer from both the patient and clinician perspective.

Together, we discuss:

Being diagnosed with cancer is life-changing. But being told you have to stop HRT too? It’s a double whammy that can leave you feeling lost, frightened, and unsure where to turn.

In this episode, I speak with Sarah and Laura - two women who’ve lived through that moment. Laura is six months on, and Sarah is a year into life without HRT. They share their feelings on what it feels like, how they’ve coped, and what they’ve learned along the way.

This conversation isn’t about what’s right or wrong - it is my h...

In this week’s episode, Dani continues her conversation with Dr Sarah Glynne, GP, menopause specialist, and co-author of the new paper “Menopausal Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients: What Is the Current Evidence?” - to explore one of the most frequently asked questions left after last week’s episode: testosterone therapy after breast cancer.

This is Part 2 of our special series following the publication of the new paper.

In this episode, Dani and Dr Glynne discuss:

What testosterone actually does for energy, mood, and libido.

The studies we have so far - an...

In this week’s episode of The Menopause and Cancer Podcast, Dani speaks with two of the authors behind the new paper, Menopausal hormone therapy for breast cancer patients: what is the current evidence? Professor Jayant Vaidya, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, and Dr Sarah Glynne, GP and menopause specialist.

This is the first of a two-part special exploring what this new paper and upcoming MENO-ABC clinical trial could mean for breast cancer survivors curious about HRT or already on HRT.

Up until recently, most experts thought a study like this would never happen — but it’s happ...

Many people in our community say it has become virtually impossible to shift the weight since cancer and menopause. So of course we ask ourselves: What role do GLP-1 medicines play in cancer survivorship and what do we really know about their safety, risks, and benefits? 

In this episode, I’m joined by Caroline Tweedie, currently working as the lead cancer nurse in the North East of England. With over 17 years’ experience as a Clinical Nurse Breast Specialist, Caroline has dedicated her career to improving the lives of those affected by breast cancer and sits on the NICE...

Inflammation is a word we hear everywhere these days but what does it really mean for cancer survivors going through treatment-induced menopause? Could the foods we eat, the drinks we choose, and the daily habits we build really make a difference to menopause symptoms like joint pain, hot flushes, fatigue, and brain fog?

In this episode, I’m joined by nutritionist Julie Webb, a specialist in oncology nutrition, to break down the science of inflammation and turn it into practical, everyday advice. Together, we explore:-

- What inflammation is and why it matters after ca...

“I don’t have time.”

“I can’t switch my brain off.”

“I’ve tried it before - it didn’t work.”

Sound familiar? In todays episode, Dani explores how easy it is to not try breathwork or meditation when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or just fed up. But here’s the truth: these simple tools can make a real difference, especially for people navigating menopause after cancer.

In this solo episode, Dani reads a little from her book, shares a short poem, and introduces our new Wellbeing Series on YouTube — guided meditations and min...

This week’s episode is a little different — I’m taking you behind the scenes of two very special moments: our 50km fundraising walk and a powerful all-day event at Future Dreams House. Wherever you are at - whatever symptoms you may have, this episode will make you feel good! Promise!

You’ll hear real, unfiltered snippets from the trail, including a brilliant chat about Viagra and vaginal moisturisers (yes, really!) with one of our wonderful supporters, Eleanor Gardener from Pelvic Relief and a doctor friend. These conversations, full of honesty and laughter, are exactly what happens when we...